


New Year, New Beginnings

by daisey (svana_vrika)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Abusive Parents, First Time, M/M, New Years, Physical Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-12-31
Updated: 2014-12-30
Packaged: 2018-03-04 11:34:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3066371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svana_vrika/pseuds/daisey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>People and Situations aren't always as they seem</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2004 for the defunct Yahoo! group, A Dragons Lair. Unbetaed. All mistakes are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: The following is written solely for fun, and no infringement is intended. The following is written solely for fun, and no infringement is intended. Yu-gi-Oh and the scenarios and characters involved are the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi 
> 
> No spoilers of which I'm aware.

"... So as you can see, Gentlemen, expenditures for this month..." The assistant adviser to the primary officer of the financial committee droned on, listing number after number to the group of men that were either totally enthralled with the speaker, or hypnotized into stupidity by his monotonous voice. Kaiba stifled a yawn as the man continued reporting his facts and figures, resisting the urge to poke the body nearest to him with his pen to see if the man was still alive. He fought the urge to smirk as he imagined the group's response to Nelson or Norbert or whoever the hell he was jumping in surprise, maybe yelping in pain, (he would, of course, use the sharp end of the pen; what would be the point otherwise?) But of course, Seto resisted. Poking a colleague with a pen would be a very childish, very un-Kaiba like-

The speaker interrupted his thoughts. "This concludes the monthly expenditure report." Eight heads lifted up hopefully. "Now I will present the monthly stock report. As you know, we are nearing the end of the year..." Eight heads dropped forward again and Kaiba-

 _’Where was I? Oh yes, poking Nicholas or Norman or whoever the hell he is with a pen. Can't do that. Right. Very childish. Uh-huh. Very un-Kaiba like. Covered that. Very-‘_ Kaiba smirked mentally at the next thought that crossed his mind. _‘-Very Jounouchi thing to do.’_ His mental smirk widened and threatened to become physical as he drew the mutt into the equation. He'd never admit it to anyone, (hell, he had a hard enough time admitting it to himself), but thinking about Jounouchi had, over the years, become a regular past-time of his. For whatever reason, his mind loved to dwell on all of the stupid, lame, embarrassing things that the blonde did, either on his own or with Kaiba's help. Seto insisted that the thoughts were for entertainment purposes only. He firmly believed that it meant absolutely nothing, just like the mutt, and the dreams, and the extra laundry as a result of said dreams. Anyhow, back to the mutt and his stupid stunts. Seto grinned as he thought back to earlier that afternoon.

*****

The bell rang, signaling the end of Thursday's school-day. The halls flooded with noise as students jostled their way to their lockers and out the doors. At least, most of the students jostled. Kaiba Seto strode down the hallway with a two foot clearance on every side of him. It was eerie really, almost as if an announcement had been made that the student body as a whole adhered by: _'Attention students of Domino High. Kaiba Seto will be walking down the 'D' corridor at precisely 2:30 pm. Please remember to give the CEO his customary two foot clearance...'_

Even at the shoe lockers everyone maintained their distance. Kaiba set his briefcase on the bench and immediately the person on that side of him slid down another four inches. Apparently the briefcase, being a quasi-permanent extension of the brunette, increased the clearance to two feet, four inches on whichever side said case happened to be. At least, for most students. Ninety-nine point nine of them, anyhow. But there's always that point one percent.

Conversation froze when Kaiba's briefcase hit the floor as a pair of raggedy sneakers replaced it on the bench. Mouths gaped as Kaiba's two foot four inch clearance was violated when a slightly-too-small-uniform clad ass wedged its way between the CEO and the sneakers. Exit doors jammed with panicked teens as cerulean eyes turned up from the Armani shoes that they had been focused on tying to glare at the perpetrator of the crime. Apparently Jounouchi Katsuya had missed the announcement.

"What the hell are you glarin' at, Moneybags?" Jou growled as he slid out of his school shoes and into his sneakers. Kaiba remained silent, but turned his gaze pointedly to the briefcase that lay haphazardly on the floor. Jounouchi snorted and rolled his eyes. "It's just a freakin' suitcase, Kaiba. Get over it." Kaiba rolled his eyes in turn.

"The term is briefcase, Mutt. As in your intelligence is brief. As in you are a mental case. Briefcase."

"Hardy-har-har. Ain't we Mr. Funny today," Was Jou's less than spectacular comeback. Kaiba sighed and reached for his case, only to have it nudged slightly out of his reach by the toe of a familiar sneaker. He ignored the silent taunt and rose, bending down to pick up the attaché. Again it was nudged out of his reach. Actually, kicked would have been a more appropriate term. Blue eyes watched in shock and amber in satisfaction as the briefcase skittered across the entryway, out the door, and down the steps. "Yeah! He shoots, he scores!" Jounouchi raised his arms in a victory pose as his imaginary crowd... growled?

"Oh shit!" And with that, Jou was out the door, oddly enough following the same trajectory path as the briefcase had. Unfortunately, he never had a chance. Even though Kaiba's legs were, in reality, only a couple of inches longer than his, the brunette had an advantage that the blonde would never have. Call it grace, call it coordination; whatever you call it, Kaiba had it and Jou didn't. Which explained why the blonde tripped on the bump in the sidewalk that he would insist to his dying day was really truly there. Which explained why the brunette, easily taking the steps two at a time, was able to swoop up his briefcase and _still_ catch up to him in time to take advantage of the other's lack of balance. Which explained why Jounouchi Katsuya suddenly found himself flat on the ground, pinned by Kaiba Seto.

"Damn it, Moneybags! Get offa me!" Jou watched warily as the anger in Kaiba's eyes was replaced by an expression of smug satisfaction.

"I don't think that's likely, Mutt. Not until you learn that you'll always be beneath me." Kaiba mentally assured himself that he was speaking in a social, not a hentai manner. Jou was too pissed off to care either way.

"I bet you'd love me to admit to that, wouldn't you, you prick!" He tried to struggle free, but Kaiba only pinned him tighter and smirked at his efforts.

"Definitely. But since I know you're too stubborn to admit to it, I guess I'll have to settle for you asking me nicely." Jou glared up at the older boy.

"Absolutely not." He gritted his teeth in an attempt to be more menacing. "I want you to get offa me now!"

"Beg me nicely and I might consider it, Mutt." For a brief moment, Jou considered continuing the fight. But, given the time of year, the alignment of the planets, and the fact that Kaiba was every bit as stubborn as he was- not to mention the fact that he could no longer feel his hands and feet- he decided to cave.

"Please get offa me," he said in a subdued voice. Kaiba was surprised and oddly disappointed at how soon the blonde had given in. He wasn't quite ready to end the game.

"Please get off of me, _who_?" Jou rolled his eyes and tried again.

"Please get offa me, Kaiba." The brunette shook his head. "Please get offa me, Seto?" Jou blushed lightly at the unfamiliar feel of Kaiba's given name coming from his mouth. Kaiba raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"Now, now, is that any way for a dog to address his 'master'?" Amber eyes widened in comprehension.

"I can't believe- for the love of- you can't be serious!" Kaiba's gaze didn't waver and Jou sighed in defeat. "Please get offa me, Master." Kaiba snorted as he released the blonde and rose to his feet in one fluid motion.

"And don't you forget it," he said, picking up his briefcase and heading toward his car. He didn't have time to play any more. He had a meeting to get to. Jou picked himself up off of the cold winter ground and brushed the dead grass and leaves from his clothing as he watched the CEO speed away.

*****

"Kaiba-sama?" Seto snapped to attention when he realized he was being addressed.

"What is it?" he asked coolly. Once again, eight heads lifted up, this time in surprise. It wasn't often that the CEO of KaibaCorp was caught off guard. The speaker eyed him nervously as he repeated his question.

"Have you been following the WebCom memos?" Seto grunted noncommittally and gestured the man to continue. "Their CEO is seeking to merge with a larger company prior to his retirement. He has narrowed his choices down to KaibaCorp and an American based company. Given the slight slump in stock prices over the past few months, a merger such as this could really be beneficial."

"Go on. "

"Unfortunately, the American based corporation seems to have a slight edge over us."

"And that would be?" The assistant adviser cleared his throat.

"Apparently, Kursuto-Sama of WebCom feels very strongly about his, um, 'family' based company being taken over by an, um, 'impersonal' corporation." Seto's eyes narrowed slightly as he picked up on what the other man was trying to say.

"I refuse to change the way I run KaibaCorp just to pick up some run of the mill corporation that may or may not affect our .02 percent drop in the stock market. If this Kursuto is unwilling to accept my company and me the way that we are then America can have him. Besides," he continued coldly. "I can think of other ways to improve the profit problem. Just how many assistant advisers does a corporation need anyway?"

*****

After what seemed like hours, the financial meeting had ended and Kaiba was finally in the sanctuary of his office. No assistant advisers, no board members: just him, his computer and his unusually full inbox. He glowered at the stack of papers, wholeheartedly wishing that the patented Kaiba glare had the same affect on inanimate objects as it did on people- i.e. causing them to cower in fear or quickly disappear. Sighing, he flopped ungraciously into his chair and resigned himself to the task. Seto reached over and pulled the first bundle of papers from the tray, rolling his eyes as he saw that it was a rather lengthy policy/procedure change that needed his initials. He reached for his pen, cursing under his breath as he realized that it was missing.

”Damn it,” he muttered as he dragged himself out of his chair and headed down the hall, “I must have left it on the table after I talked myself out of stabbing, er, I mean poking Neville or Nathan or whoever the hell he is. Just should have done it.” The CEO continued grumbling until he heard the sound of voices coming from the supposedly deserted boardroom. “What the hell are they-“ He cut himself off as he realized that the topic of discussion was none other than himself.

"-Asshole." Someone chortled. "I mean, honestly, could you imagine Kaiba Seto in a relationship?" The group of men chuckled and another voice joined the conversation.

"Oh yeah, I can see it now! _'I firmly believe that it would be in the best interest of our partnership if we reconvened this meeting in the second floor bedroom to complete our merger. Please complete the following forms, including a brief history and list of references._ '" Chuckles turned into laughter as Seto stood outside the door, fists clenched and face drained of color. Another voice chimed in.

"'But Seto,'" it said in a falsetto voice, "‘we just 'merged' last month. '" The first voice contained his laughter and replied.

"' I realize this. However, much can change in that amount of time. By the way, the next time you use my given name, you're fired.'" By this point, all of the so-called professionals were howling. Well, all except for one. Despite the pounding in his ears, Seto recognized the voice belonging to Newton or Norito.

"Don't you think you're being a little harsh? I've seen him with his kid-brother and he is very kind and affectionate with him. Besides, Kaiba-sama is just a kid himself, really." The brunette was almost as shocked by the kind words as he was by the gossip.

_’Note to self; never contemplate stabbing, er, poking-‘_

"Oh come on, Norris!"

_’Norris! that's it!’_

The voice continued. "That cold fish couldn't keep a relationship alive if his precious business depended on it. He has all the emotion of a brick wall, and let's not even get into the physical aspects of it." Another voice cut him off.

"Ew! Sex with Kaiba? Like he'd even know what to do!" Kaiba had had enough. Rapidly blinking his eyes against the tears that he swore had everything to do with anger and nothing to do with hurt he stalked away, but not without hearing a final comment.

"-instruction manual: Insert tab A into Slot B. " The laughter taunted him all the way down the hall. He maintained his un-rushed stride and cool demeanor until he entered his office and shut the door. He then decided to ensure that the door was truly shut by slamming his fist into it repeatedly, proving (unfortunately only to himself and the beta-fish on his window sill) that Kaiba Seto did indeed have emotions, anger being one of his strongest. Whirling away from the door, he paced around his office like the lion some thought his name to mean.

"Arrogant assholes!" he ranted, violently pushing a chair out of his path. "How dare they? How _dare_ they talk about me behind my back? How dare they talk about me at all? They don't know me. They don't know me at all!" Tears darkened his clear blue eyes yet again as he recalled their hurtful words. Despite his efforts, he couldn't hold them back this time, and the cold CEO crumbled, leaving a broken teen in his place. "I do so have emotions," he whispered. "I _can_ feel love. I love Mokuba. I'd give my life for him." He dropped onto the small sofa he kept in the office as moisture marked his cheeks. "As for the kind of love _they_ were talking about, just because I don't throw myself at every person that's offered themselves to me doesn't mean I'm not capable of loving in that way. And just because I'm-" He swallowed against the sob that threatened at admitting his weakness. "-lonely doesn't mean I'm going to rush into something meaningless. Because I don't want that." Seto smirked despite himself as he dashed the tears away, a touch of the arrogant CEO returning. "And Kaiba Seto _always_ gets what he wants." He sighed as he pulled himself off of the couch and headed to the washroom. He turned on the cool water and splashed his face before lifting his head to meet his reflection in the mirror. "I can love," he said to the slightly haunted eyes staring back at him. "I _can_ have a relationship. And one day I'll prove it to them all, and to myself."


	2. Chapter 2

To call Jounouchi Katsuya a model student would be akin to calling Yugi Mutou tall or Otogi Ryuuji conventional. It just wasn't the case. It wasn't through the blonde's lack of trying (or Yugi's for that matter; the diminutive duelist had gone through a brief period of suspending himself from a bar mounted in his doorway with weights attached to his feet in the hopes of stretching himself. This practice halted abruptly when Yami finally convinced his Aibou that he loved him just as he was, and that the bar could be hung elsewhere for more practical uses. But, back to Jou.) He was by no means an idiot; despite the poor grammar and sloppy writing, he had shown himself capable of learning a thing or three. Does second place in Duelist Kingdom ring a bell? If not, ask him. He’d be happy to tell you all about it. Besides, what he lacked in book smarts he more than made up for in an odd combination of common sense and imagination that was precisely Jou. The blonde wasn't lazy either; he could run his paper route, dodge his dad, keep the apartment clean, and still find time to hang with his friends. The only time he really ran into trouble was when something happened to skew the very touchy formula that made up Jounouchi Katsuya- something like being tackled to the ground and pinned by one Kaiba Seto.

Now confrontations with Kaiba were nothing new; the two had been fighting like cats and- like roosters at a coc- anyhow, the two had been fighting for years. As a matter of fact, Jou valued the weird, twisted relationship the two had formed almost as much as he valued the ones he shared with Honda and Yugi. It wasn't a best bud, got your back relationship like he and Honda had. It wasn't a best of friends, always there for you relationship like he and Yugi had. Quite frankly, Jou wasn't really sure _how_ to label it. Had he asked his subconscious, it would have told him the relationship was a mixture of the two- kind of a: I want to get you _on_ your back and always be there for you type of thing. But there were days that Jou had a hard time keeping track of his conscious, let alone his subconscious. Which was really too bad, as it might have been able to explain the dream that he'd had last night- a dream that had left him shaking and sweaty and badly in need of a shower. And not a cold one; it had been _way_ too late for that. Add that to the fact that the blonde allowed himself a mere half hour from alarm sound at home to bell sound at school and Jounouchi was screwed- which made twice if you counted his dream. Anyhow, he knew he was in trouble when he walked into the class half way through first period. Sensei let out a sigh reminiscent of a fading balloon as he made his way to his seat.

"Jounouchi Katsuya," she started in a remorseful tone, "I'm afraid I'll have to assign you-" She stopped as Jou held a paper up in the air.

 

"I picked up the slip on the way in, Sensei." She gazed at him a moment longer before turning back to the board. Jou took his seat and tried to pay attention, but his mind had a mind of its own.

 _’Why are you so distracted?’_ his brain queried.

 _’I had a sex dream about a guy,’_ he replied mentally.

 _’So? You've had 'em before. You're gay, remember?’_ his brain responded.

 _'I know that, smart-ass! But never about **Kaiba** before. Why now?’_ he questioned desperately.

 _'Cause you've never called him 'master' as he pinned you beneath him before,’_ his brain reasoned.

 _’What the hell is that supposed to mean?’_ he asked angrily.

_’Jou, meet your subconscious. Subconscious, this is Jou’_

"Damn it!" The blonde groaned and dropped his head to the desk with an audible thunk as his new "acquaintance" filled him in on _exactly_ what it meant. Thankfully, his noisy response coincided with the sound of the door opening to admit another tardy student. Jou's head swiveled toward the door with the twenty others, only to turn back quickly at the sight of a certain CEO standing in the doorway. Jou stared blindly at the board and tried to control his thoughts as the sensei began her line of questioning. He failed miserably.

"Good morning Kaiba-kun.”

"Sensei," he responded coolly.

_He was anything **but** cool last night. I swear I could feel his sweat mingled with mine when I woke up this morning. ___

__"What is the meaning of your late arrival?"_ _

__"Business meeting," he said shortly._ _

___’And nothing was short last night either: long, lanky, muscular body, long elegant fingers stroking me, long length that filled me again and again, long, tortuously erotic dream._ And speaking of tortuous lengths, Jou now had a problem. He waited as patiently as he could for the teacher to accept Kaiba's excuse- she always did- before making his own and hobbling as inconspicuously as he could to the nearest restroom._ _

__

__"Thank God I saw where Ryou stashed the 'out of order' sign," he grumbled as he pulled the door closed behind him._ _

__*****_ _

__Once Jou got his not so little problem taken care of, the rest of the morning passed without incident and, much to his stomach's delight, he found himself in the lunch-line._ _

__"So why _were_ you late this morning, Jou?" Yugi asked as he studied their choices dubiously._ _

__"Overslept," Jou mumbled, hastily putting one of everything on their tray. Yugi chose a salad that was slightly less yellow than the others and followed Jou to a table._ _

__"Were you up late last night?"_ _

__"You could say that," Jou replied through a mouth full of food._ _

___Heh, especially the 'up' part,_ His brain threw in, for lack of anything better to do. Yugi caught the slight widening of Jou's eyes and the slight coloring of his cheeks._ _

__"Jounouchi, are you okay?" he asked concernedly._ _

__" 'm okay, Yug." He forced a smile on his face, forced his brain into a temporary submission, and changed the subject. "So what are you doing after school today?" Yugi sighed as he picked at his salad._ _

__"Gramps has a convention this weekend so Yami and I will be tending the store." He looked at Jou hopefully. "How about you? You want to help?"_ _

__"Maybe tomorrow or Sunday." Jou said as they rose to dispose of their trays. "But I can't tonight. Mom 'n Shizuka are meetin' me for dinner. Sis says they have a surprise for me," he explained as they stepped into the hall._ _

__"Hnn." Jou froze at the all too familiar noise, clenching his eyes shut and his fists closed as he waited for the inevitable. "Don't get _too_ excited, Mutt. Several restaurants are allowing pets in these days. Of course, they _do_ have leash rules. " Jou whirled around, shaking Yugi's restraining hand from his sleeve._ _

__"Fuck you, Kaiba," he hissed, mentally wincing at his choice of words. He watched warily as Kaiba took a step toward him, icy eyes flaring in anger._ _

___’This is nothing new,’_ he reminded himself, trying to ignore the fluttering in his stomach that increased with each step the brunette took toward him. _‘You've done this before. He'll come back with some ten syllable response that you won't understand and you'll both be on your way._ ’ Jou tipped his head back, determined to meet the ice blue eyes as their owner stopped just a few steps in front of him._ _

__"In your dreams Inu." Out of all the things that Kaiba could have said, that one shook Jou to the core. Not only was it a five syllable sentence that he could understand all too well, it hit _way_ too close to home. Kaiba watched in amusement as Jou's mouth gaped open and then snapped shut. He quirked an eyebrow, waiting for the blonde's response. Suddenly a thought occurred to him, something that was frightening and tantalizing, something that provided an answer as to why the blonde was still standing there silently, a light blush covering his cheeks even as he continued to stare at him defiantly. _’Oh my God, I was right.’__ _

__Jou watched in horror as a look of startled comprehension replaced the one of smug amusement on Kaiba's face. He had to do something, say something._ _

__"Yeah, right Moneybags," he finally retaliated, never tearing his eyes away. "Who'd waste their dreams on a cold hearted bastard like you?" Now it was Jou's turn to watch as the knowing light in those eyes flickered ever so briefly to one of hurt before going out all together. Without another word Kaiba turned and walked away. After a moment of stunned silence, Jou followed Yugi down the hall to their next class._ _

__*****_ _

__Jou sighed as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, losing himself in his thoughts for the umpteenth time since his confrontation with Kaiba. Even his teachers had noticed his unusual behavior, offering him several complements on how well he was behaving and how glad they were that he had finally decided to pay attention in class._ _

__"Morons," he muttered as he dragged a comb through his hair, trying to tame it a bit. Giving up, he tossed the comb onto his dresser and plopped down on his bed, head in his hands. Image after image flowed through his mind, both from the dream and from the fight. Suddenly, one picture stood out over the rest: a brief flare of pain in Kaiba's blue eyes, followed by an intensely cold glare as he turned to walk away. He shivered at the realization. In all the time he'd known Kaiba, in all of their fights and confrontations, there had always been a light heating those icy eyes when he met them- until today._ _

__A small 'beep' from his watch alerted him to the time. Jou looked down at his wrist and then ran out the door, cursing the fact that thoughts of the blue-eyed CEO were about to make him late for the second time that day._ _

__*****_ _

__"Are you sure he's coming, Shizuka?" Molly Kawai questioned her daughter as she peered through the crowded restaurant. "Did you give him the right information?" Shizuka's smile was somewhat forced as she answered her mother's question yet again._ _

__"Yes, Mom. I even wrote it down for him." A warm chuckle brought genuine smiles to both ladies' faces._ _

__"Don't worry, Sis," a pleasant masculine voice assured Ms. Kawai. "If I know my nephew, he'll be rolling in right about-"_ _

__"Hey Mom. Hey Shizuka!" Jou called as he made his way to the table._ _

__"Now." The man finished with a smile. The three broke into laughter as they watched the blonde weave through the crowded room._ _

__"Sorry I'm late," he began to apologize as he came to a stop at the table. "I had to stay after school and-" Jou's explanation trailed off as he finally realized that there was a third person at the table. His face lit up in a grin as he recognized who it was. "Holy shit!"_ _

__"Jounouchi Katsuya, watch your mouth," his mother hissed as she looked around anxiously. Jou gave her a sheepish smile as he leaned in to peck her on the cheek._ _

__"Sorry Mom." He then turned back to the man who was sitting with them. "Uncle Nor, is it really you?" The man chuckled again._ _

__"Yes Jou, it's really me." He gestured toward the empty chair and Jou sat down, but not before glomping his favorite uncle, much to his mother's dismay. "You're absolutely right, Molly," he said once the tangle that was his nephew was safely seated. "He hasn't changed a bit." Ms. Kawai sighed as Jou pulled a face at her brother._ _

__"No, Norris, I'm afraid he hasn't."_ _

__"Says you," Jou retorted as he grabbed a handful of the complimentary popcorn on the table. " 'm moh mr mchre n rsponibl." Molly flushed ten shades of red at her son's lack of manners while Norris looked at Shizuka for translation._ _

__"He said he's much more mature and responsible," she relayed, giggling as Jou flicked a spare kernel at her. "Can't you tell?"_ _

__"Hush, Shizuka, don't encourage him." Ms. Kawai turned to her brother. "I swear he acts just like you," she told her brother, smiling in spite of herself._ _

__"Thanks!" the two men said in unison. This time Molly couldn't help but join Shizuka in the laughter. The group settled down as a waitress came to take their order._ _

__"So, Sis, is this the surprise you had in store for me?" Shizuka nodded and Jou flashed her a grin of thanks before he turned to his Uncle. "So come on Nor, spill it. What are you doin' here? How long are you staying?" The man took a drink before replying to his impatient nephew._ _

__"Actually I've been here for a month now," he started to explain. "The corporation that I worked for in Sendai merged with a larger corporation."_ _

__"Let me guess," Jou interrupted dryly. "KaibaCorp, right?" Norris gave a nod._ _

__"That's right. Anyhow, word got to the CEO about my credentials and, when a spot on KaibaCorp's financial board opened, it was offered to me." Norris took another drink and relaxed into his chair. "I was actually very lucky," he continued. "Not only did I get a better paying job, but I was able to move closer to my favorite nephew in the process." Jou snorted._ _

__"Just don't mention who your favorite nephew is and you'll be fine." He sighed as his uncle looked at him curiously. "Let's just say that your new boss and I don't see eye to eye and it ain't just because of our height difference."_ _

__"Jounouchi and Kaiba-kun have been fighting like cats and dogs ever since they met," Shizuka added by way of explanation. She laughed as Jou growled and sent another kernel of popcorn in her direction._ _

__"You just _had_ to go there with the dog thing, didn't ya?" Thankfully the waitress came with their order and comments turned to the food instead. It wasn't until the meal was over and Norris was walking Jou home that the conversation returned to Kaiba._ _

__"So Jou, tell me about Kaiba-Sama." Jou looked at him warily._ _

__"What is it you want to know?"_ _

__"I take it from the earlier comments that you two aren't friends. Am I right?"_ _

__"I... don't know," Jou replied hesitantly, thinking about the dream and the earlier confrontation._ _

__"What do you mean 'you don't know'?" Norris teased. He sobered instantly as he saw the look of confusion on the blonde's face. "Jou?"_ _

__"It's... complicated, Nor’," he replied. Norris left it at that until they reached Jou's apartment complex. Once there, he sat on the steps, pulling Jou down to join him._ _

__"So talk," he said, casually slinging an arm around his nephew. The affectionate gesture and concerned tone in Norris' voice touched Jou, and suddenly he was spilling it all. His words tumbled over each other as he talked about how they met, the dueling, bickering, and insulting that had followed, the fact that he had a hidden respect for the CEO because of the way he handled himself and took care of Mokuba despite the shit he'd been through, the way their fighting and name calling had somehow turned into something more. He continued right up to yesterday's incident in the school yard._ _

__"He had me pinned to the ground and wouldn't let me up until I-" Jou broke off, blushing._ _

__"Until you what?" Norris encouraged._ _

__"Called him 'master.'" Jou glared as his uncle let out a short burst of laughter. "It ain't funny, Nor’." The older man tried to control himself, but his laughter continued._ _

__"I... I'm sorry, Jou," he gasped, finally containing himself. "I just wish some of the jerks at the office could hear this. Emotionless wall my ass." He saw his nephew's look of confusion and gave him a brief rundown of what had happened after the board meeting the night before. "And the bad thing is," he continued soberly. "I think he heard them. After I made my comment, I got my stuff and left. I'm pretty sure that I saw his coat round the corner as I left the room."_ _

__"How dare they!" Norris turned in surprise at Jou's angry tone of voice. "How _dare_ they say things like that? Those idiots must be as blind as they are stupid. All they have to do is watch Seto with Mokuba to see that he worships the ground the little guy walks on. He's given everything so that Mokuba could _have_ everything. And anyone who calls him cold is an idiot as well. All they have to do is watch his eyes when he's dueling, or talking about his brother, or arguing-" He broke off as he noticed the smirk on his uncle's face. "What?"_ _

__"You've got it bad, don't you?" The color rushed to Jou's face as he dropped his gaze to his shoes. For a moment he thought about denying it, but only for a moment._ _

__"You don't know the half of it." Shyly he told his uncle about his dream, (a _very_ edited version), and about the confrontation at school that day. "And I just stood there. I didn't know what to say. And then when I saw that he knew he had been right, I panicked."_ _

__"What did you do?"_ _

__"I asked him _'who would waste their dreams on a cold hearted bastard like you?'_ And then he gave me this look and just walked away." Norris chuckled ruefully as he stood and stretched._ _

__"Oh Jou, your mother was right. You truly are just like me. Mouths and tempers constantly getting the better of us. " He extended an arm and helped Jou stand. "But you'll learn to control it, somewhat." He said with a lopsided grin. Jou couldn't help but grin back as his uncle pulled him into a hug._ _

__"I'm glad you're here, Uncle Nor’."_ _

__"Me too, Jou." He stepped back and looked at his watch. "Now get inside before your dad stumbles up the street and finds us here." The blonde stuck his tongue out and put his hand on the door knob. "And don't worry about Kaiba, Jou. I'm sure you'll work things out."_ _

__"I hope so," he whispered as his uncle walked down the street. "I really hope so."_ _


	3. Chapter 3

Contrary to popular belief, Katsuya Jounouchi's father was not a drunkard. Nor was he a child abuser. No, Michael Jounouchi was more what guys like himself would call a "man's man", (and not in that "fucking queer" sense either), who enjoyed his beer and who was a firm believer in the saying that sparing the rod spoiled the child. Or, as he liked to demonstrate, "spare the fist and spoil the child" (It was easier for him that way; it saved him the time and expense of looking for a rod. Especially since, other than the pathetic one between his legs, he wasn't really sure what a rod was.) And, just like the other "men's men", he loved the power that being one supposedly meant. Even if the only person that he had power over was a slender, seventeen year old boy who only let him get away with it because, in a remote corner of his tender heart, he still loved him. To put it bluntly, Michael Jounouchi was an-

"-asshole!" Jou muttered under his breath as he paced his room. As a punishment for spending Friday night in the company of "that bitch and her no-good brother", Jou's dad had confined him to the house. Never mind the fact that Jou had asked permission first. Never mind the fact that he had practically promised Yugi that he would help at the shop that day. "Oh well," he muttered as he stopped in front of the door. "At least he didn't fucking hit me this time."

Cautiously, he eked the door open. Even more cautiously, he stepped out into the hall. The house was silent which meant one of three things: the older Jounouchi was either A- passed out, B- at the bar, or C- lurking behind a corner waiting for his son to try and sneak out. With it being a Saturday night, Jou was willing to bet on A or B. Sure enough, a light snoring could be heard as the blonde entered the living room. Being careful not to trip on the beer bottles, he headed to the kitchen to write a note before he took off for the night. While explaining to his dad exactly why he had broken punishment might seem like he was throwing himself to the wolves, Jounouchi knew better. The consequences of leaving a note were far less than those of not leaving one. Besides, there was always a chance that his dad would accept his explanation:

_~Left for Yugi's for the rest of the weekend. His grandpa is out of town and I promised him I would help with the store. And like you always say, a real man keeps his word.~_

Yeah, there was a chance that that might work. About as big of a chance as Yami giving up Yugi for Anzu. But at least he’d tried. After leaving the note on the last six pack of beer in the fridge where his dad would be sure to find it, Jou headed out. Reaching the corner, he breathed a sigh of relief and headed toward the arcade. It was past eight, and Yugi would have already closed for the night; with any luck, his best friend would already be there with the rest of the gang. After a brisk ten minute walk, he found himself inside the noisy building, his eyes slowly adjusting to the mixture of darkness and flashing lights. He wandered toward the back of the room, calling out a greeting here and there, his face lighting up in a smile as he spotted the group he was looking for. He honed in on their conversation as he worked his way toward the table.

"-took his parking spot," Bakura was saying. "And when he went to the principal to complain-"

"Who's parking spot?" Jou interrupted as he squeezed in between Honda and Ryou. "Who was complainin'?" Five sets of eyes smiled at him in greeting. One set glared.

"Baka!" Bakura growled. "You interrupted me! I _hate_ to be interrupted!" Ryou rolled his eyes but spoke in a pacifying voice.

"Come on 'Kura. I'm sure Jou didn't mean it." He nudged Jou, who hastily nodded in agreement. "Now finish your story."

"Hmph. I don't feel like it now," The white-haired spirit pouted.

"Please?" Ryou asked softly as he trailed his fingers up Bakura's leg. The other five friends smirked at each other as they watched the soft spoken hikari tame the beast that was his darkness. "You're such a good story teller. Please?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely." With Ryou's slender digits stroking his thigh and Ryou's breathy voice stroking his ego, Bakura couldn't help but relent. He grabbed Ryou's hands and pulled him into his lap, completely missing the triumphant smirk his "innocent" light gave the rest of the group. "Now as I was saying," he continued with a warning glare to Jou, "I was in the security office visiting my good friend Kenneth the other day." Translated from Bakura-speak, it meant that the spirit had gotten himself into trouble again. Jou opened his mouth to ask about it, but a swift kick under the table from Otogi made him re-think his decision. "As it turned out, Kenneth was _quite_ upset. It seems that a certain CEO was in a hurry Thursday morning, and ignored the sign that said "security parking only". When Kenneth went to the principal to complain, he got the standard "He's our top student, not to mention a major donor blah blah blah." Bakura smirked as he took a drink. "Of course I'm not complaining. The idiot was so worked up about his precious parking spot that he totally forgot the reason for my visit." Ryou sighed as he climbed out of his lover’s lap.

"Well, what ever it was that you did do, I'm glad I missed it. Come on, Yugi. Let's go duel a few rounds before we head home." Yami and Bakura followed their hikaris as the rest of the friends dispersed to look for free machines. After a few minutes and a threatening glare at a ten year old that tried to cut in front of him, Jounouchi was soon lost in a racing game. He was doing well too- until a hand clamped down on his shoulder and he lost his concentration. He whirled around in surprise as his car spun off the road and the game ended.

"Damn it, Bakura! That was my last quarter!" Bakura shrugged nonchalantly and gave him a smirk. "What the hell do you want?" Jou snapped irritably.

"Did you know that there are security cameras posted all along the school's exterior?" Jou looked at him in confusion.

"I never thought about it before, but I guess it'd make sense. Why?" Bakura's smirk widened.

"And did you know that those cameras are monitored in the security office?" Jou huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Where the hell else would they be monitored? What's your point?"

"My point?" Bakura chuckled. "Let's just say that Kenneth's little temper tantrum wasn't the _only_ interesting thing I witnessed in the security office that day." He paused, waiting for Jou to ask, but the blonde remained stubbornly silent. After a moment, the spirit continued. "So tell me, Jounouchi; did you get hard when Kaiba tackled you to the ground like that?" He chuckled again as Jou's mouth gaped open and his face flared a brilliant red.

"It wasn't- I didn't- I mean-" Bakura held up a hand to stop the stuttering blonde, a smug smile on his face.

"Easy there, Jou," he drawled. "Your secret's safe with me."

If anything, Jou got even more flustered and Bakura relented with a sigh. "Honestly Jounouchi, you are _such_ an easy target. The security system has sound too you know. I heard the whole fight. However," He added, the smug smirk back on his face, "Perhaps you'll think twice before interrupting me again." With that Bakura walked away, leaving Jou flustered and quarterless as his mind teased him with the fact that the spirit had been right. He _had_ been hard.

*****

"Thank you, Sir. Please stop in again." Jou smiled and handed the customer his bag. Sighing in relief, he watched as Yugi followed the gentleman to the door, locking it as soon as the man was outside. "What a day!" He yawned, stretching his arms above his head. "Are Sundays usually this busy?"

"Nuh-huh." Yugi shook his head as he wandered to the cleaning closet. "It's just the time of year. Everyone's busy getting things for their New Year celebrations. We always sell a lot of games during the last week of the year." Jou took the broom that the smaller teen offered him and set to his task, only to be interrupted a few minutes later by a knock at the door. "See who it is, will ya Jou?" Yugi's voice came from the office where he was counting out the till. The blonde moved to the door and peered through it, smiling as he saw Ryou, Bakura and Honda. He opened the door and let them in.

"Where's Otogi?" he asked Honda as he stepped inside. The stocky brunette shrugged easily, a slight smile on his face.

"Said something about picking up my New Year's present. He didn't come in here, did he?" Jou sighed as he surveyed the slightly trashed store.

"No, but he's probably the only one in Domino that didn't." He cast a pathetic gaze at his three friends. "This would go a lot faster if you all would help you know." After a bit of good natured grumbling, Ryou and Honda pitched in. Bakura, however, boosted himself up on the counter and flicked on the small television set that was mounted in the corner of the store.

"If that lazy Pharaoh doesn't have to help, then I'm certainly not going to, he said haughtily. A deep chilly voice sounded behind him.

"This 'lazy Pharaoh' has just spent the last 15 minutes with his hands down a Ra-forsaken toilet, trying to fish out the latest Zombire action figure that some local urchin decided to try and flush." Yami's gaze narrowed as he stepped around to face the white-haired spirit. "I'm tired. I'm hungry. I smell like toilet water. Now I suggest that, unless you want to meet the same fate as Zombire, you shut the hell up!!" Bakura wisely remained silent as the group of friends watched the Pharaoh storm up the stairs muttering. "-hole in the ground worked just fine in my time. No narrow pipes, no flushing, if something fell in, did the Pharaoh go after it? No! I had servants-" Not a sound was heard as Yami's voice faded and the door to the living quarters slammed shut.

"Alrighty then," Jou said, returning once again to his sweeping. For a while the only sounds were those of the teens cleaning the store and of the television program that Bakura was watching. "Hey!" Jou called out to the white-haired spirit lounging on the counter. "Is that one of those 'year in review' specials?" Bakura grunted an affirmative. "Turn it up, will ya?" There was no response from the counter but the volume rose as requested. The cleaning went by faster as the friends listened to the program, stopping once in a while when something caught their interest. Slowly the store regained its normal appearance and one by one the boys joined Bakura on the counter. Jou was the last to sit, sighing with relief as he did so. He leaned back on his hands and closed his eyes, only to snap them open at the announcer's next words.

*****

Seto relaxed into the leather seat as the limo pulled away from the KaibaCorp building. He rarely went to the office on a Sunday, but today he had needed the distraction. Despite the fact that it had been almost two days ago, he couldn't get the Mutt's parting words out of his mind. He kept trying to tell himself that it was only because the comment had come on the heels of the conversation he'd overheard at work and that he didn't want Jounouchi to be dreaming about him anyway, but deep down he knew that neither was true. The blonde's words had stung deeply because he _wanted_ the puppy to dream about him. He _wanted_ to know that Jou felt something for him besides animosity- perhaps the same "something" that he felt for Jou. And for a minute- right after his accusation, when confusion had clouded those amber eyes and a guilty blush had colored those fine features- for a minute his hopes had soared. But then- Seto groaned and dropped his head back as Jou's response echoed yet again through his mind.

"Damn it," he growled, "Even when the Mutt's miles away-" His thought was cut off by the sound of his cell phone. "Kaiba." The brunette rolled his eyes as he recognized the voice of his PR man.

"My apologies Kaiba-Sama, but do you have access to a television?" Seto leaned over to the console and flicked on the TV as he grunted an affirmative. "May I suggest you turn it to channel 4? They're airing something that I think you need to see." Impatiently, he changed the channel and then his eyes widened and his cell phone dropped from his suddenly lifeless hand. After the segment ended, he groped for the intercom that linked him to the driver.

"The Kame Game Shop." He ordered in a slightly breathless voice. "Now."

*****

A key scraped in the lock of a small apartment across town. Gingerly balancing his two bags of groceries, Norris stepped inside and pushed the door shut with his foot. Glancing at the clock, he rushed into the kitchen and hurriedly dug through the bags, shoving the cold stuff into the refrigerator and leaving the rest on the counter. He then proceeded into the living room, sighing in relief as he slid into his chair and grabbed the remote. Turning it to the right channel, the man couldn't help but laugh at himself. Here he was, nearly thirty years old, and he was helplessly addicted to a cartoon show, and an American one at that. Ever since channel 4 had begun airing ‘The Simpsons’ a couple of years ago, he'd been hooked. Truth be told, the mischievous Bart reminded him of another trouble-prone blonde. A smirk crossed Norris' face as another similarity crossed his mind: that of Homer to Michael. Only difference was, Homer was smarter. And could hold a job. And could keep a wife. He let his eyes drift shut as the current program droned on, hitting the highlights of the prior year.

 _’This sounds like a pretty good show,’_ he thought, half listening to the announcer. _‘Maybe they'll re-air it.’_ Suddenly Norris perked up as he heard his new home town mentioned.

"But perhaps one of the most surprising events of the year has taken place in our own Domino City,” the host was saying. "And just a couple of days ago at that. Single women, cross this name off of your lists. Fan girls, brace yourselves. Domino's own Kaiba Seto is unofficially off the market!"

"What the hell?" Norris sat up in his chair, his eyes glued to the set.

"Yes," the host continued, "Japan's most eligible bachelor has found true love at last. But as shocking as that revelation is, it's _nothing_ compared to who he's found it with. In a video exclusive to channel 4, the CEO makes his proclamation." A blank screen appeared, followed shortly by a picture of Seto Kaiba sprawled on top of a very familiar blonde.

"Oh my-“ Norris cut himself off as the brunette spoke.

"I like you beneath me," he said to Jou. Norris' mouth gaped open. After a moment, Jou responded.

"You love me?"

"Definitely." Kaiba replied. "You?"

"Absolutely. I want you." Norris' eyes grew wide at his nephew's proclamation.

"Beg me." Suddenly Norris' eyes narrowed. For whatever reason, the conversation just didn't flow right, not to mention the fact that it sounded vaguely familiar. He focused in on the scenery behind the boys, wincing slightly as Jou spoke next.

"Please. Please, Seto!" The conversation lagged for a moment and Norris snapped his fingers as he recognized the Domino High School sign in the background. The worried look left his eyes and the corners of his mouth actually threatened a smile as he sat back to listen to the rest of the conversation.

"Now?" The brunette asked the seemingly impatient blonde. Jou sighed as he looked up at the teen hovering over him.

"I love you. Please, Master." Norris couldn't help it; a short bark of laughter escaped him as the video faded and the host came back on.

"We have reached Kaiba-Sama's PR manager, who is declining comment, but we think that the video speaks for itself. Naturally, we will report any further developments-" Still chuckling, Norris snapped off the TV, The Simpsons momentarily forgotten.

 _’Whoever pieced together that video was good,’_ he thought to himself as he wandered to the kitchen for a snack. _'Hell, if Jou hadn't told me what had **reallyM/b > happened, I may have believed it myself.**_’ He paused for a moment, and then headed for the phone instead. _‘Of course, I'm probably the only person that Jou told which means-‘_ The look of worry settled on his face again as he dialed Jou's number, cursing lightly when he got no answer.

*****

Jounouchi didn't know what to do. Yugi, Honda, and Ryou were staring at him, mouths agape. Bakura, however, had fallen off of the counter and was rolling on the floor in laughter. He looked from his group of friends to the white-haired spirit and back again as he struggled to form a coherent explanation. Before he could do so, Bakura recovered sufficiently enough to pick himself up from the floor.

"Well," he chortled, dusting himself off, "It seems that Kenneth was even more upset about the parking spot than I thought."

"Wh- what do you mean, 'Kura?" Ryou finally asked. Bakura snorted.

"Honestly Hikari, think about it." He rolled his eyes and proceeded to tell the group what had really happened between Kaiba and Jou that day. "Anyway, it seems that Kenneth decided to exact his revenge by "fixing" the tape and handing it over to channel 4. I've always liked that guy," he finished with a chuckle.

"Well," Honda stated, "I'd hate to be in that guy's shoes when Kaiba gets a hold of him." He looked at Jou and began to chuckle at the flustered look he was still sporting. "Come on, Jounouchi. You have to admit; it's kinda funny."

"Yeah," Yugi added with a giggle. "Everybody knows that you can't stand Kaiba. It won't take them long to figure out that it was all a fake." Jou's look began to change from flustered to angry as Ryou joined in.

"I mean really; you and Kaiba in a "relationship"?" The chuckles turned into full blown laughter at the very thought.

"What the hell's so funny about that?" Jou blurted out. The group was stunned into silence for a brief moment, and then the laughter continued louder than ever.

"Come on, Jou," Honda gasped. "You? In a relationship? You're too stubborn and hot headed to be in a relationship with _anybody,_ let alone-" He lost himself as the laughter overtook him again.

"Not to mention the fact that Kaiba's such a cold hearted bastard-" Bakura began, only to be cut off by Jou.

"He is not," the blonde hissed softly. The laughter died again as Jou continued in a louder voice. "He is not a cold hearted bastard!"

"B- but Jou, you said just the other day," Yugi interjected.

"I was wrong," Jou said hotly. "I was afraid because he was right about my dream, and I said the first thing that came to my mind, but I was wrong." He turned to glare at Bakura. "Seto may be standoffish and arrogant, but he is also one of the most intelligent, giving, _passionate_ people I know." His eyes swept across the four stunned faces in front of him. "Nobody who cares as much about a person as Seto does Mokuba can be cold. Nobody whose eyes carry a light like his do can be cold." He blushed at his words, but continued as his gaze settled on Honda. "And I _know_ that I'm not the easiest person to get along with. I _know_ that my mouth and my temper get in the way. But I also know that I'd do what I could to make a relationship with Seto work,if he'd give me the chance."

He couldn't stand the four gaping at him any longer. Avoiding their stunned stares, Jou grabbed his coat and headed for the door, only to find the way blocked. There, standing in his way, was the very topic of his heated rant. Shocked amber met stunned cerulean before Kaiba turned and headed out the door. After a moment, Jou followed. "Kaiba! Kaiba wait!" The trench coat stopped, but its owner didn't turn. "Kaiba?"

"I have to go. This video-" He trailed off, the uncertainty clear in his voice.

"What- what are you gonna do?" Finally the brunette turned to him, his eyes holding Jou's for a brief moment as the limo pulled up beside him.

"I don't know, Jounouchi," he said softly before stepping into the car. Jou watched forlornly as the limo sped away. After a moment, he turned and headed back inside, the only thing giving him hope being the fact that Kaiba had used his name and that the light that had been extinguished on Friday had been back in those gorgeous eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Jou was falling. He peered over the edge into the darkness below as he began to slip. His eyes snapped shut and his mouth flew open in a silent scream as he toppled over the edge. Within a matter of seconds, his eyes flew open and his mouth snapped shut as he found himself on the floor next to Yugi's couch for the third time that night. Cursing under his breath, he untangled his legs from the blanket and wrapped up in it, deciding just to stay where he was. Jou snuggled into the blanket, hoping to catch a bit more of the sleep that had eluded him for most of the night. After a few minutes, he gave up and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling as he thought back on the past few hours.

The store had been suspiciously quiet when Jou had returned, the only sound being that of the little bell that hung over the door. He’d almost smirked as he watched the four pairs of eyes that had stared so unwaveringly at him just a few minutes ago work so hard to stare at anything _but_ him now. Despite his friends' silence and averted eyes, the air had been thick with unanswered questions. Sighing heavily, Jou had heaved himself up on the counter and had breached the uneasy quiet.

"Listen guys; I'm sor-"

"No Jou," Yugi had cut in. "We're the ones that are sorry." Honda and Ryou had nodded in agreement; Bakura had rolled his eyes but had nodded enthusiastically after a well placed nudge from his Hikari. "We shouldn't have teased you and we shouldn't have laughed at you like that." The smaller teen had stepped closer to his friend, offering him an unsure gaze. "It's just that, well, if we had known that you felt _that_ way about him- But we didn't, so-" Yugi had trailed off uncertainly as Jou had remained silent. The small teen had turned to Honda imploringly and with a sigh, the brunette had stepped in.

"What Yug’ here is trying to say is that we're sorry for acting like insensitive jerks but it's not entirely our fault; you're somewhat to blame as well." Jou's head had snapped up and his eyes had narrowed, but Honda had stopped him before he could speak. "We're your friends, for God's sake Jou; your _best_ friends! How could you keep something like that from us?" The heat had left Jou's eyes as he had shrugged his shoulders apologetically.

"I don't know, Hon’. I mean, it took me long enough to admit it to myself." He’d raised his glance up to meet the hazel eyes that had been fixed on his face. "Besides, it's pretty obvious how you all feel about him, let alone the thought of me and him." Honda had sighed as he’d jumped up on the counter next to the blonde and had flung his arm around him.

"We're your friends Jou," he’d repeated. "Your best friends. If that's what you want, if that's what would make you happy, then you should know by now that we'd have your back."

"That's right," Yugi had stated as he’d taken the spot next to Jou on the counter.

"Definitely," Ryou had agreed softly.

"Hmph!" Bakura had snorted, though his eyes had been unusually soft as he’d looked at his friend.

"Besides," Honda had continued with a smirk, "If we can get used to Ryou being with _Bakura_ for God's sake-" Jou hadn’t been able to help but smile as Yugi and Ryou had giggled, causing the white-haired spirit’s gaze to harden back to its customary state.

"I wouldn't talk, Fin-head," Bakura had growled. "At least I leave no doubt in Ryou's mind that I'm a man, unlike that flamboyant, over-the-top pretty boy-"

"Why Bakura-Kun," a voice had purred, "I had no idea you thought I was pretty!" The group of friends had snickered as Otogi had entered the room, sauntering over to where Bakura was standing. "And as for my being a _man~_ ," he’d continued in a deliberately husky voice, "Well, let's just say that I'm sure I could talk Honda into letting you observe us some time. We've always wondered what it would be like to have someone watch. Isn't that right, Angel?" Otogi had turned his gaze to Honda, who had slithered off the counter to stand behind the raven haired man. The stocky brunette had nipped at his lover's neck before turning a sultry gaze to the white-haired spirit.

"That's right, Babe," he’d drawled. That time it had been Bakura's turn to blush and gape as the smirking group had watched the usually blustering Yami struggle to speak. After a moment the room had been filled with laughter, though no one was quite sure who started it.

And that hadn’t necessarily been a bad thing. The longer the laughter had continued, the more Bakura had vowed to the group that, if he ever _did_ find out, the person would be sent to the Shadow-Realm quicker than he could make Ryou scream. That, of course, had brought on a new bout of laughter, that time at poor Ryou's expense. Jou had smiled as he’d watched the slender teen take it good naturedly, feeling himself relax for the first time since the video had aired. Suddenly an irate voice had sounded from above.

"Can none of you Hyenas recognize the sound of a telephone ringing?" Yami had snapped. The laughter had quieted as he’d continued. "Jounouchi, pick up the damn extension!"

"Damn!" Otogi had said in surprise. "What's _his_ problem?" Quietly Yugi had explained how toilets, action figures, and ex- pharaohs don't mix as Jou had picked up the phone.

"Hello?" he had said tentatively. "Oh, hey Uncle Norris. How'd you get this number?" Jou had blushed at his own temporary stupidity. "Phone book, right." Color had flooded his face even more at his uncle's next words. "Oh," he had said dejectedly. ”You saw it, eh? Yeah. Yeah.” Suddenly his voice had risen. "It ain't funny, Nor’!"

Jou had quieted back down when he’d found himself the center of the group's attention once again. "Yeah, I know you didn't mean it. Yeah, I'm okay. No, me and Se- Kaiba haven't talked yet." The group's eyes had become concerned as they’d watched Jou's face drain of color. "Shit! I didn't even think about him! No, I'll be alright. No, I won't go home tonight. I'll stay with Yug’." He’d raised a questioning eyebrow at his small friend, who had immediately nodded an affirmative. "He says it's okay. I won't. I won't! I promise I'll be careful. 'Kay, Nor’. Love you too." The group had remained silent as Jou had hung up the phone.

After a moment, Otogi had spoken.

"Uh, would anyone like to tell me what that was all about?" Honda had sighed and had put a hand on his lover's shoulder, steering him toward the door. "Come on, Babe. I'll tell you on the way home.” Just before exiting, Honda had stopped and had turned to the blonde.

"I _am_ sorry, Jou. For everything. You _are_ stubborn and hot headed, but you're also as loyal and giving as they get. Kaiba would be lucky to have a relationship with you." Otogi's eyes had widened but Honda had covered his mouth with a hand before giving Jou an encouraging smile and stepping out the door. Ryou and Bakura had followed soon after. Sighing in relief as he’d watched Yugi lock the door a second time, Jou had followed his friend up the stairs for some much needed rest.

Unfortunately for Jou the much needed rest never came. It wasn't until the sun was peeking over the horizon that the blonde fell into a fitful sleep, his eyelids twitching as rapidly as the thoughts that ran behind the tired amber eyes.

*****

Tired blue eyes gazed out the window as the limo stopped in front of the KaibaCorp building. For the first time in his life, Seto found himself wishing that the multi-billion dollar business closed for New Year's week just like the schools did. _School._ Just the thought of the rumors and whispers that would have run rampant through the building had the holiday not started caused a shiver to run through his lithe frame. He was having a hard enough time steeling himself to walk through the doors of his own corporation, let alone into a group of giggling, gawking, rumor hungry teenagers.

Of course smirking, staring, rumor hungry adults could be just as bad. He had contemplated staying home, but his PR man had advised against it, stating that 'the best course of action would be to continue as normal' until their meeting with channel 4 that evening. Kaiba rubbed his forehead in an impatient gesture. Then there was the whole WebCom deal that was still up in the air, the stock-holder's New Year's party on Wednesday- ‘Shit! That's the day after tomorrow!’- and to top it all off, the intriguing confession that he'd overheard at the game shop last night.

Seto couldn't help but smile as he thought about _that_. Here he had been convinced that the puppy hated him, only to end up witnessing said puppy _defending_ him, admitting that he _liked_ him, in front of his friends. ‘Of course, had it not been for the video-‘ Seto groaned as he realized that his thoughts had come full circle. He glared at the building a minute longer before sighing and climbing out of the limo. Squaring his shoulders, he pushed through the doors and entered the lobby.

"Good morning, Kaiba-sama," a giggly voice from the reception desk greeted him. Seto's stride faltered ever so slightly. In all his time as CEO of KaibaCorp, the receptionist had never been so bold as to address him directly. Never. Unsure what to do, he nodded in her direction before continuing his bee-line to the elevator. "Oh my God- nodded at me- Kawaii!" Seto rolled his eyes as he heard the girl squeal to someone on the phone. And he had thought the only fan girls were at school.

*****

"Damn it!" Kaiba cursed at the phone he had just hung up as it started ringing again. "What?" he snarled into the receiver.

"Ah... I'm sorry, Kaiba-sama." A flustered female voice came from the other end. "You- your two o'clock is here." Seto winced at the sound of his secretary's voice. The poor woman sounded as harried as he felt; probably more so as she had spent the majority of her day filtering through hundreds of calls from news agencies and nosy people, letting only the official ones through to him.

"My apologies, Nyoko," he said softly, making a mental note to give the woman a bonus once this mess was cleaned up. "Please allow me a couple of minutes and then show him in." He hung up the receiver and glanced at his calendar to see who his two o'clock was.

His spine stiffened immediately as he saw "FC: WebCom" written there. He hadn't had to deal with anyone from the Financial Committee since overhearing them last Thursday and, while he knew that it was inevitable- "It just had to be today," he muttered, busying himself at his computer as the door opened.

"Your two-o'clock Kaiba-sama," his secretary announced.

"Thank you, Nyoko." He waited until the woman left and then gestured toward a chair. "Sit," he said shortly.

"Thank you, Kaiba-sama." Seto's glance snapped up over the monitor at the voice. Taking in the man's appearance for the first time, he relaxed slightly. It wasn't one of _them_ , it was-

_’Norbert? No... Nicholas? That's not right. Neville? Come on, Seto, think! Ah!’_

"Good Afternoon, Norris," he said in a tone that was more cordial than usual. His mind flashed back to last Thursday and the way that the other man had stuck up for him in front of his peers.

 _’Just like the puppy yesterday.’_ And with that thought, he found himself smiling at the 'dreaded' committee member. Norris returned the smile with an oddly familiar one of his own.

"Good Afternoon, Kaiba-sama. How are you today?" Norris was careful to keep his tone neutral. His quick gaze had taken in the tired eyes and defensive posture of the teenaged CEO, and he was concerned, but it wouldn't do for Kaiba to think his interest was anything but professional.

To his surprise, Seto found himself responding to the question. "I've had better, thanks," he said dryly. Norris flashed him another smile and Seto was intrigued.  
 _’ **So** familiar.’_ His thoughts were interrupted by Norris' response.

"I'm sure you have." His voice was lightly sympathetic. For a moment Kaiba tensed, wondering if the man was going to bombard him with questions. Needless to say, he was surprised when Norris only commented. "But I'm also sure you'll get through this just fine. Now I know your time is limited-“ And with that, he moved right on to the WebCom data. The further Norris got in the presentation, the more impressed Seto became. Not only did the man know his topic well, he presented it with a casual style that got his point across without boring the listener to death. As Seto listened, he found himself becoming more interested in the man presenting the data than in the data himself. He was intelligent, kind, a hard worker- for the first time since taking over the corporation, Kaiba found himself looking at an employee that he might actually be able to trust. And that felt good. He smiled again as Norris concluded his speech and closed down his power-point.

"Nicely done, Norris," he said sincerely. "If a third of the employees here could do as well as you, there would be no need for all the committees I'm constantly tripping over." Norris' eyes softened as he noted the bitter tone that accompanied Kaiba's comment. Seto noticed the look and a slight flush colored his cheeks, but he held the other man's gaze none-the-less. "Thank you for that by the way," he said softly. "The other night, I mean." Norris nodded as he picked up his computer.

"Somebody had to put those jackasses in their place," he said lightly, surprised by the chuckle he got in response. He placed his computer into his satchel and paused a moment before making his next comment. "Congratulations by the way." Norris watched as his boss quirked an eyebrow in askance. He swallowed against his nerves and forged on. "That's quite an attractive young man you have there," he said as he headed toward the door. "And it's obvious that he thinks the world of you." He picked up his pace slightly, only to be stopped by Kaiba's voice before he could reach the door.

"You... really think so?" Norris sighed in relief before turning back around. Instantly his heart went out to the confused teenager that sat where the professional CEO had been only moments before.

"Yes I do," he said softly. "It's right there. You can see it in his eyes. Just like I can tell by your eyes that you think the world of him." Norris again turned to exit the room, making it clear to the door this time before being stopped by Kaiba's voice once more.

"Norris?" He turned slightly, his hand on the door knob.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

*****

Norris exited the elevator, whistling lightly under his breath. His eyes began to twinkle mischievously as he caught sight of someone near the door. He stopped to swipe a flower from the display at the reception desk, rolling his eyes as the twit batted her lashes at him. Twirling the pilfered flower between his fingers, he headed toward his target.

"Pretty flower for a pretty lady?" he offered with a charming smile to the auburn-haired woman in front of him. His smile widened as a blush graced her pretty features.

"Why... thank-you, Kawai-san." Norris pouted but the smile never left his eyes.

"Norris, Nyoko, please?" Nyoko rolled her eyes at the pleading voice but smiled just the same.

"Fine. Thank you, Norris." Instantly that grin was back.

"There now. That's better. May I escort you to your vehicle?" She shook her head, still smiling.

"I'm not leaving. Kaiba-sama has a meeting with channel 4 yet this evening. I'm only down here because he insisted that I take a break after dealing with the phones all day." Norris sighed, but nodded in understanding.

"Perhaps another time, then." Nyoko paused a moment before nodding an assent. Norris flashed her another smile, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked out the door. All in all, it had been a pretty good day. He had taken a chance with Kaiba and with Nyoko, and had come through both unscathed. That in itself should have been a warning, yet he found himself happily oblivious as he neared his apartment building. However, his carefree pace slowed as he noticed someone slumped on the steps. He proceeded cautiously, not wanting to startle the bum, only to burst into a run as the figure became all too familiar. "Oh my God, Jou?"

The blonde lifted his head from his hands. Spying his uncle, he burst into tears, sobs wracking his slender body. Norris cursed as he took in the blackened eye and bruised cheek beneath it, not to mention the slightly hypothermic appearance of his nephew. "Come on, Jou. Let's get you inside." Gingerly he eased the boy onto his feet, whispering words of comfort and encouragement as he helped him inside the apartment.

*****

Norris shut the door softly so as not to wake the sleeping boy. Though Jou was now silent, he could still hear his nephew's cries in his head. The boy had been nearly inconsolable as Norris had cleaned him up. From what he could gather, once Jou 'knew' that his dad would be at work, he had gone home to get a change of clothes before heading back to Yugi's. Apparently, Michael had thought that beating the crap out of his son over a stupid video had been more important than his job, because he had been there, waiting. Norris snorted as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Not that the bastard would have to worry about going back any time soon; he had called the police as soon as he had reassured Jou that yes, he would have a place to stay and no, he wouldn't be sent to a foster home. Given Michael's history, employment would be the _least_ of his worries. But it was the other sobs that tore at Norris' heart: the ones that were about Kaiba: about how much Jou cared for him, about how confused Jou was, about how even the beating would have been worth it if he only knew how Seto felt. Resolutely, Norris set down his mug and picked up the phone, punching the numbers a bit more harshly than needed.

"Nyoko? It's Norris Kawai. I need to speak to Kaiba-sama immediately. Yes I remember you telling me that, but Channel 4 can damn well wait." Blood was, after all, thicker than corporate bullshit. It had gone on long enough.


	5. Chapter 5

It was amazing, really, the way that a single thought could occupy the vast expanse of the human mind. A man could possess one of the most technologically advanced minds in the world, could compute and create in ways that most people could only dream about, and still find himself entranced by the simplest of things. Like the rise and fall of a chest. Or the fluttering of eyelashes. Or the way that streetlight shining through a window could turn blonde hair into gold. Such were the thoughts that occupied Seto's mind as he sat in the darkened room, lost in the simple pleasure of watching Jou sleep. The blonde was something to behold as he slept; his creamy skin and white t-shirt a stark contrast to the dark sheets, his hair splayed out like a golden sunburst in a navy sky. He watched in fascination as Jou's mouth opened slightly, the increased air flow causing the light fringe on the blanket to move with every breath.

Resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands, Seto struggled for the right word to describe the scene before him. 'Angelic' and 'Innocent' crossed his mind but he discarded them quickly; he knew that neither term applied to the blonde asleep or awake. After a moment it came to him as the moon came from behind the clouds, combining her ethereal light with that of the streetlamp below to highlight even further the fine features and flawless complexion of the sleeping boy.

 _’Beautiful.’_ Jou was beautiful. A satisfied smile played at Seto's mouth; asleep or awake, angry or at peace, the adjective suited the blonde to a 'T'. Suddenly his smile faltered as a pained expression settled on the face before him. It lasted only a second, but it was long enough. The spell was broken. Sighing quietly but heavily, Seto settled back into his chair, fighting the urge to caress Jou's cheek, to run his fingers through his hair. But, despite how badly he wanted to, he refrained. The right wasn't his. Not after the way he had hurt the blonde- as unintentional as it had been.

Again he mentally berated himself for walking away that night. Jou had to have known that he had heard at least part of the conversation; if there was one thing that they had learned out of their years of sparring it was how to read the other's reactions. But despite the fact that, while inadvertently, Jou had bared his soul to him- despite the fact that Jou had left his friends and followed him out desperate for _some_ reassurance- he had left the blonde standing there alone and confused with nothing more than an "I don't know" to cling to. But Seto knew now. He had been shown the error of his ways. The brunette closed his eyes as he remembered how Norris had seen to that.

*****

Kaiba sighed and dropped his head back onto his chair, closing his eyes. It was less than an hour until his meeting with Channel 4 and he _still_ had no idea what to say. His PR man had offered his advice, suggesting that Kaiba go on camera and refute the whole thing, publicly denying any connection with the "raggedy lowlife from the wrong side of town." Not only did his offering leave Kaiba cold, it left him in the need of a new PR man. So, for the moment, he was on his own. He was startled out of his musings by a knock at his door.

"Kaiba-sama?"

"Yes, Nyoko; come in." He watched as the auburn-haired woman opened the door and stepped hesitantly inside. "What is it?"

"One of the Financial Committee members is on the phone for you. He says that it's important; he won't take 'no' for an answer." Seto's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Who is it?"

"Norris Kawai." Seto paused a moment and then glanced at the clock.

"Go ahead and put him through." Nyoko unconsciously smiled in relief and then exited the room. Seconds later, his phone rang. "Kaiba."

"Kaiba-sama, this is Norris Kawai. I apologize for calling after hours, but there is something that we need to discuss." Seto heard the serious tone in the man's voice and glanced at the clock again.

"I'm sorry, Norris but it will have to wait until tomorrow. I can have Nyoko pencil you in-"

" _I'm_ sorry, but tomorrow isn't good enough," he interrupted politely but firmly. Seto was shocked to say the least.

"Excuse me?" Perhaps the man wasn't as intelligent as he had originally thought.

"This cannot wait until tomorrow, nor can it be discussed over the phone." Though all of his corporate experience was screaming at him to hang up on the man and fire him in the morning, the CEO resisted.

"You have ten minutes to get here."

"Unfortunately, that will not work. My current circumstances prohibit me from leaving my apartment." It took Kaiba a minute to recover from that one.

"What are you playing at?" he hissed into the receiver. "Even _if_ I didn't have a meeting in less than an hour, there's no way in hell that I'd show up alone at the apartment of a man I barely-" He gaped as Norris cut him off again.

"Kaiba-sama, please, I'm not asking that you come alone. Bring your whole fleet of bodyguards if you feel it necessary. And as for your meeting; if you leave now you should be back to the office in plenty of time to attend." Despite the absurdness of the situation, Seto felt his resolve melting at the man's pleading tone of voice. "If you get here and feel that I have wasted your time in any way then I will gladly hand you my resignation first thing in the morning." Once again Kaiba was stunned.

"You would willingly throw away a _very_ promising career over this?" he asked incredulously.

"I would." After obtaining the address and directions, Kaiba addressed the man once more before disconnecting.

"I hope this is worth it, Norris. For both our sakes."

*****

The limo pulled to a stop outside a stylish apartment building just a short drive from the office. Kaiba stepped out, two guards in tow. He may have liked Norris Kawai but he wasn't stupid. Showing his ID to the lobby attendant, he and the guards stepped into the elevator. In another minute they were standing outside Norris' apartment. Apparently the man had been waiting for them because, before he could knock, the door opened.

"Kaiba-sama, gentlemen, please come in." Norris stood aside as the guards entered the room, giving it the once-over before allowing the CEO to enter. He shut the door and turned to face Kaiba, who was looking at him expectantly.

"Well?" Norris shook his head slightly and gestured for the small group to follow him.

"This way, please." Kaiba hesitated and then he and the guards fell in step behind the older man. They went down a small hall and Norris paused outside a door on the left. Placing his finger to his lips as a warning to be quiet, he edged the door open wide enough for a guard to slip through. The man was gone only a second before stepping back out into the hall, a confused expression on his face.

"It appears safe enough, Sir, but I just don't see-" Kaiba huffed impatiently and swiftly pushed past the man, stopping short at the sight that met his eyes. In a matter of seconds the guards were gone and he was on the phone.

"Nyoko, it's Kaiba. Call Channel 4 and reschedule." His voice rose slightly. "I don't care that they're already there; if they want to speak with me they'll come back in the morning." His tone softened with his secretary's next question. "Yes Nyoko, I'm fine. I'll see you in the morning." Hanging up the phone Seto turned to Norris. "What- How-" He took a deep breath and started again. "I don't understand." The man offered him a small smile.

"Come sit and we'll talk. For now, Jou needs to rest."

*****

Coming out of his thoughts, Seto rose from the chair, stretching a moment before moving to the window. A light snow had begun to fall and his eyes watched as it left a light covering on the kadomatsu of the house across the street. For a brief moment his thoughts flashed to Mokuba; his younger brother insisted on hanging the good luck decoration every December 28th as tradition dictated, leaving it up only to replace it with the shimenawa on the 31st. Seto used to gently tease him about suspiciously following the "old ways" but he silently vowed not to this year if only the Toshigami would bring him a little luck with his current situation.

He and Jou's uncle had spoken for quite a while and, if anything, Seto was even more impressed with the man than he’d been before. In a kind but firm voice, Norris had explained who he was and how Jou had come to him that afternoon, physically hurt by his father and mentally hurt by Seto. He’d never apologized for calling Kaiba out; he’d never questioned Kaiba's intentions with his nephew. Norris had simply told him what he had heard and then had offered him the opportunity to sit with Jou until he awoke. Seto shook his head as he moved back to the chair.

 _’Norris is the puppy's uncle.’_ It certainly explained a lot: the quick, familiar grin, the way that Seto had felt drawn to him immediately, the way the man stood up for what he believed in, even to Kaiba himself- a rustling sound from the bed interrupted his thoughts.

" 'm I?" a sleepy voice mumbled. A tousled blonde head raised itself from the pillow, bleary eyes scanning the room in confusion. Said eyes widened slightly as they came to rest on the brunette. "Kaib'?"

"You're at your uncle's house, Jou," Seto said softly. "I'll go get him."

"mkay." Seto couldn't help but smile as the head dropped back to the pillow. He had just about made it to the door when realization sank in and the head came back up. "Wait a minute, what're _you_ -“ Jou was cut off as the door opened and Norris stepped in, drawn to the room by the voices.

"He's here because I asked him to come," Norris said in that same no-nonsense voice that he had used with Seto earlier. He moved to the bed, taking Jou's face in his hand and turning the injured side to the light. "Your eye is starting to swell again. I'll be back with some ice." He shot the brunette a meaningful glance and exited the room, pulling the door shut behind him. Seto couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Jou's and Norris' eye color may have been different but he had recognized the look just the same; he'd seen that warning flashed at him _several_ times over the past few years, whenever he'd pushed himself a bit too far with the blonde.

"Uh, Kaiba, what _are_ you doin' here?" Seto allowed himself a slight smirk as he took a seat in the chair next to the bed.

"Your uncle was only partially correct," he said, earning a confused look from Jou. "I came because he asked me to come. I'm still here because-" Suddenly the smirk disappeared and his eyes dropped to his suddenly fascinating shoes. The usually confident CEO took a deep breath and plunged in. "-because there's no place else I'd rather be at the moment." His eyes flicked up to gauge Jou's reaction; the confused look was still there, along with a faint blush that he found quite attractive.

"I don't understand," Jou whispered, glancing at the brunette uncertainly through his bangs. Seto sighed and once again resisted the urge to reach out and brush the hair from his eyes. Instead he clasped his hands in his lap, locking gazes with the other.

"I'm sorry, Jou. Sorry that I hurt you. Sorry that your dad hurt you because of me." This time he couldn't resist; hesitantly he reached out and stroked Jou's injured cheek, a small smile gracing his lips as he noticed that, not only did Jou not pull away; he leaned ever so slightly into the touch. "Will you forgive me?"

Jou paused for a moment and closed his eyes before nodding his head. Slowly he reached up and removed Seto's hand from his cheek, holding it lightly with one of his own. Seto's smile widened at the gesture but faltered slightly as unusually serious amber eyes met and held his own. "Why?" he asked softly. "You had to have heard at least _part_ of what I said. Why did you leave me like that? I thought you didn't care." He looked down as he felt the brunette's fingers lace through his and tighten their grasp.

"I'm sorry, Jou," he said again. "I do care. I have for quite a while. But that video, and then hearing what you said, I just, didn't know _what_ to do." Jou's eyes rose from their clasped hands to Seto's face.

"And now?" he asked almost shyly.

’Shy. _That's_ a new one,’ Seto thought as he leaned in to give Jou his answer. Gently he brushed the other's lips with his own and pulled away, despite the urge to stay and explore the sweet mouth that he was instantly addicted to.

"Does that answer your- " he was cut off as suddenly those lips were back, moving across his in an almost urgent manner. Seto couldn't help it; he moaned slightly as he dropped from the chair to his knees, releasing his hand from Jou's to bring it up to cup the blonde's head and deepen the kiss. His tongue came out to coax the other's mouth open, only to find that there was no need. Jou's lips were parted and his tongue was there, instantly engaging Seto's in a sensual dance that had nothing to do with dominance and everything to do with learning and exploring and enjoying. They moved from one mouth to another and back again, licking and swirling and tasting until the two broke apart in a desperate need for air.

Once Seto had somewhat regained his senses he realized that, without his knowledge, he had left his position on the floor and was sprawled haphazardly on the bed, Jou partially beneath him. The blonde didn't seem to be complaining however, if the slightly glazed eyes and content grin were any indication. Sighing happily, he pushed the brunette off and scooted over slightly, making room for Seto to lie down beside him.

"So," he said as the taller teen made himself comfortable. "Just how much of what I said did you hear, anyway?" Seto propped his head up with his arm and smirked down at him.

"Pretty much all of it," he admitted, enjoying the way that the color dusted Jou's face again. "And it was nice hearing you bark at someone other than me for once." His smirk widened as a familiar spark made itself known in those amber eyes. He knew he shouldn't continue but he was, after all, a Kaiba. When opportunity knocked... "I must admit; I'm not used to having a watchdog charge to my defense like that. It was-" The next thing Seto knew, he was flat on his back, pinned to the bed by a playfully growling blonde.

"You think you're so smart," Jou mock scowled at the brunette, "But I'm not _exactly_ like a dog you know." Slowly he brought his face down, stopping mere centimeters above the other's. Seto swallowed and forced his voice to remain steady.

"Is that so, Pup?" Jou grinned as he moved even closer.

"Yeah," he whispered, dropping his lips to Seto's ear. "My bite is _much_ worse than my bark." Seto gasped as Jou's mouth dropped even lower to nip sharply at the sensitive skin behind his jaw, instantly caressing it with gentle licks and kisses.

"Aaah!" He arched his neck as the pleasurable torture continued downward until Jou's teeth found another pleasure spot just above the collarbone. "Not only is my puppy, nnghh, protective but he's, oohhh, playful too." He let out a shuddering sigh as Jou's lips worked back up to his ear.

"You have no idea how bad this puppy wants to play," he said huskily, pressing a firm kiss to Seto's parted lips before sliding back off to the side. Jou placed a finger on said lips as they made a protesting noise. "But while now might seem like the right time, Nor's bed is definitely not the right place, him bein' my uncle and your employee and all." He slid his finger down to playfully flick Seto's now pouting lower lip, chuckling at the frustrated groan that came from the usually stoic brunette.

"Who'd of ever thought that you would be the voice of reason," Seto grumbled, only half teasing. With an exaggerated sigh, he sat up and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. "But it's probably just as well what with that blasted meeting with Channel 4 tomorrow." He shot the blonde a playful glare as he rubbed his neck. "Something tells me I'm already going to be wearing a turtleneck." Jou grinned at him from where he was laying on the bed.

"I didn't hear you complainin' earlier, Seto." Jou's eyes widened as suddenly he was the one pinned; not by a body but by a pair of intense blue eyes.

"Say that again," Seto whispered harshly. "Say my name again."

"Se...Seto," Jou said breathlessly, and then again as he saw the light in those eyes flare to a fire, "Seto!" As the last syllable left Jou's lips Seto claimed them for one brief intense moment before tearing himself away.

"Hnn." he smirked as he lay back down and pulled Jou into his arms, "I guess that'll do-until I can make you scream it, that is." He chuckled as the smaller boy took a playful swipe at him.

"Hentai." Jou muttered into his chest. "So," he continued after a moment, "What _are_ you gonna tell Channel 4?" Seto yawned and drew Jou closer, tucking the soft blonde head under his chin.

"I still don't know," he said tiredly.

"Well if you were to ask me, which you haven't," he teased, poking the brunette in the side and chuckling as he twitched. "It doesn't make much sense to go in denyin' everything now that we're together." Seto smiled at Jou's words.

"No, Puppy; it doesn't." His eyes drifted shut as Jou yawned and nuzzled his chest.

"But I don't think that bastard should just get away with it either." Another yawn, from Seto this time.

"Don't worry. He won't." Silence reigned for a few moments and then-

"Seto? We are together, right?"

"Yes, Puppy; we are. Now go to sleep." The silence lasted a bit longer this time.

"Seto?"

"Hmmm?"

"'m glad."

*****

Norris opened the door and peeked inside, smiling at the sight of his boss and his nephew curled up together. He shut the door quietly and headed back to the living room, flicking the television on to channel 4 as he stretched out on the couch with a satisfied sigh. The last thought to occupy his mind as the familiar theme music washed over him brought a smile to his face that rivaled Homer's when he was the first one to the donut box.

’And to think that Mom thought that no good could ever come out of leaving empty ice trays in the freezer.’


	6. Chapter 6

Pleasant dreams are wondrous things. While some high paid professionals might say that bad dreams are good things too, supposedly cleansing the mind of suppressed emotional garbage, the average "man on the street" would probably disagree; especially if he had just paid $350.00 to hear it. After all, the ultimate result of removing garbage of any sort is having new garbage pile up in its place. No, it is truly the good dreams that make life tolerable; changing the mundane, every day world into a place where clear, sunny skies meet fresh, green grass, where warm, gentle breezes carry light, pleasant scents, where ice blue dragons cuddle warm, golden puppies, where tiny little birds sing shrill... ringing... songs?

"Stupid phone," Jou mumbled as he flailed an arm about in search of the ringing sound. After successfully knocking a book, the clock, and Norris' reading glasses onto the floor, he finally came up with the offending device. " 'lo?" he muttered, still refusing to open his eyes.

"Oh, thank God, Jou, I was so worried about you when you didn't come back yesterday, and I tried to call your apartment but there was no answer, and Honda didn't know where you were either, and I was really freaking out until Yami remembered that your uncle's number was on the caller ID, so I called it, and he was right; you were there." By the time Yugi had stopped for breath, Jou had opened his eyes and was staring incredulously at the phone.

"Geeze, Yug’; take it easy, will ya? You keep forgettin' to breathe like that and Yami'll have to give ya mouth to mouth." Jou grinned into the phone. "'Course, he probably does that for ya anyways, doesn't he?"

"Ha- ha, Jounouchi. Very funny," Yugi replied in a tone that indicated that he didn't find it funny at all. "I spend all night worrying about you and that's the gratitude I get?" Jou was instantly contrite.

"Sorry, bud. And I'm sorry I didn't call last night either. I had a run in with my dad and came here. Hey, don't worry; I'm okay," he said as he heard his small friend's sharp intake of breath. "Listen; I've got lots to tell ya, but I don't wanna tie up Nor's line. I'll come by the shop later, okay? Later, bud. Bye." With that he clicked off the phone and tossed it to the side, snuggling his head back into the pillow. He smiled and sighed contentedly as he picked up the slight scent of Seto's cologne and soon he was drifting away. He had just made his third doggy circle, just like all good puppies do before lying down next to their dragons, when the phone interrupted his dream again. Heaving a sigh he picked up the receiver and clicked it on. "Hello?" he said with a politeness that was slightly forced.

"Haven't you dragged your lazy ass out of my bed yet?" came the good natured voice of his uncle.

"It's Oshogatsu. What did you expect?" Jou teased back. He paused a moment as he considered the latter part of Norris' question. "Uh, where'd _you_ sleep?" he asked somewhat guiltily.

"I stretched out on the couch." He shushed Jou before he could apologize. "It's no big deal; I usually end up falling asleep there watching TV anyways. Besides, I thought I'd take half a day off; we'll pick up a futon to stick in the study and then grab your stuff from home." He paused a moment, trying to decipher Jou's mumbled response. "What's that?"

"I said I don't want to go home." Norris understood immediately.

"There's nothing to worry about, Jou. I received a call from the station today and they have Michael in custody. It'll be okay." He smiled as he heard his nephew sigh in relief. "I'll be home just after noon. Love you too, kiddo. Bye." Jou hung up the phone with a smile.

 _’It's just now nine o'clock,’_ he thought with a happy sigh. _‘I can get a couple hours more sleep and still-‘_

[Ring... Ring...]

"Damn it!" He clicked on the phone. "What?" he yelled into the receiver, completely forgetting that it wasn't his home. His angry greeting was received with an amused chuckle.

"Good morning to you too, Pup. Are you always this cheerful in the morning or is this something special just for me?"

"I've got "something special" for ya," Jou returned cheekily, grinning as the brunette chuckled again.

"Mmm..." Seto purred into the phone, "I can hardly wait." Reluctantly the brunette switched to a more serious matter. "I wanted to talk to you before I did the interview with channel 4. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions." Jou swung his feet out of bed and stood up, finally giving up on the extra sleep.

"Sure Seto; what's up?" Despite the seriousness of the situation, Seto couldn't help the smile that insisted on forming when Jou said his name.

"First things first: Are you sure you don't mind everyone knowing about us? Once it's made public-"

"I want you to do what's best for you. If that means denying the video and keeping our relationship a secret then that's what we'll do. You heard what I said to Honda; I'll do whatever it takes to make 'us' work." The sincerity of Jou's statement touched Seto's heart.

"I have no intention of keeping our relationship a secret, Puppy," he said softly. "I just wanted you to be sure. Now that that's taken care of, would you like to be part of the interview? I can send a limo to-"

“ _Hell_ no!" Jou cut him off with a snort. "With my face bruised like a bad piece of fruit? I think I'll pass and make my television debut at some other time, thanks." Seto chuckled.

"Okay, okay; down boy." He forged on, ignoring the growl on the other end of the phone. "One last thing. The annual stockholder's ball is tomorrow evening and I'm sure that the reporter will ask if you'll be there. I know that these things aren't usually done over the phone but-" The usually confident CEO suddenly felt nervous. "Jounouchi, would you do me the honor of accompanying me?" Seto winced at the formal words, expecting a chuckle or a comment, _something~_ from the blonde on the other end of the line. He waited, and waited, "Jou?"

"You sure you want your employees and clients seeing you with a low-class, beaten mutt at your side?" The brunette sighed as he noticed Jou's depreciative tone of voice.

"Puppy, stop. I don't give a damn about what they think. I'd rather have your playful loyalty, your honest affection than any of their closed minded 'high-class' attention. Besides," he added teasingly, "Everyone knows that mutts make better pets than pure-breeds." He was relieved to hear Jou chuckle.

"You're a brat, you know that?" the blonde teased in return. "Fine. I'll go." A sudden thought crossed his mind. "But Seto, what'll I w-" The CEO cut him off.

"I've got to go, Pup. They're ready for me. We'll work out the details after I get out tonight. You'll be watching me, right?" Jou detected the hint of nervousness in Seto's voice.

"I wouldn't miss it, Dragon." He laughed at the indignant sputters coming across the line. "I've gotta go. Channel 4 is interviewing some hot brunette and I want to check him, er, it out." He laughed again as he heard Seto's phone cut off. "Knock 'em dead, Seto," he said softly as he hung up his own phone and turned the TV on.

"...in an interview ~exclusive~ to channel 4. We now go live to the KaibaCorp building where Ako Murakami is standing by." Jou found himself holding his breath as the camera blacked out, only to refocus on a small Asian woman standing next to what, in his opinion, was an _extremely_ hot brunette. He couldn't help but smile as he noticed that, for reasons known only to Seto and himself, the CEO had forgone his usual business suit; he wore in its place snug black pants and a turtleneck that matched, both in tightness and in color. A simple gold chain and the locket bearing Mokuba's picture hung around his neck and a deep violet trench with gold fastenings- one that Jou had only seen once just before the Battle City tournament- completed the outfit.

 _’ **Very** hot,’_ Jou thought as he tried to concentrate on what the woman was saying.

"...Kaiba-sama, we were told that you are here today to dispute the fact that you are indeed in a relationship with the young man pictured in the video." Ice blue eyes met the reporter's in a steady gaze.

"You were ill-informed. I am not disputing the fact that I am involved with Katsuya Jounouchi. I am disputing the authenticity of the video itself." Jou watched as the woman gaped for a moment and then quickly recovered.

"So you are publicly confirming your relationship with this Katsuya Jounouchi, a relationship with another man?" Seto looked at her condescendingly.

"Yes I am." He smirked at her disconcerted look. "Welcome to the twenty-first century." Jou chuckled as an embarrassed flush heated the reporter's face. Wisely she decided to change the subject.

"And why are you questioning the authenticity of the video?"

"There's no question about it. It is quite obviously a fake; even someone of your limited technological knowledge should have been able to pick up on the obvious discrepancies." The woman's blush deepened and her smile had all but disappeared.

"Is there a suspect in this alleged falsification?"

"Yes, and he is being dealt with as we speak." Jou's eyes widened; that was something that he hadn't even known. The reporter broached the subject of Jou once again.

"All of Domino is aware that KaibaCorp's stockholder's ball is held every year on New Year's Eve. Will Jounouchi-san be accompanying you tomorrow evening to the gala event?"

"Yes, he will," Seto said simply.

"One more question before we go." The reporter's smile was back; more feral this time than friendly. "Even if the tape _had_ been fixed, the voices themselves were ~obviously~ real. Why did Jounouchi-San call you "master"?" Jou's mouth gaped open in horrified embarrassment as Seto fixed the woman with an icy glare.

"That-" he stated in a voice that would have dripped contempt had it not been as cold as ice "-is none of your business." Without another word, Seto swept out of the room, effectively ending the interview. Jou chuckled as he rose from the couch, relishing the fact that, if he knew the CEO as well as he thought he did, Ako Murakami would be joining Kenneth in the unemployment line.

*****

True to his word Norris showed up just after noon to run errands with Jou. Per his nephew's request, their first stop was Yugi's; Jou knew that his friend was an avid channel 4 watcher and that he would have some explaining to do. Sure enough, when he and his uncle entered the store Yugi was waiting, along with the rest of his friends. After Jou introduced Norris and received some good natured teasing, he explained what had happened to the group.

"Well Jou," Yugi said brightly, "It looks as if the Toshigami visited you early." He nodded toward where Norris was leaning against the counter talking to his Grandfather. "A new home, a new relationship," Jou smiled and threw an arm around his small friend's shoulders.

"I know, Yug. I can't believe-"

"Holy shit it's Kenneth!" Jou and Yugi turned to gawk at Bakura's statement, following his eyes up to the television set. Sure enough, the former school security officer was on the screen, struggling to free himself from the officers flanking him. "What the hell-"

"Shhh!" for once Bakura let the interruption slide; it would have taken too much energy to send the entire group to the shadow realm and besides, he wanted to hear what the reporter was saying just as much as everyone else did.

"-security officer Kenneth Ito lost his job after being charged with invasion of privacy and tampering with school property. When confronted by the superintendent, Ito got violent, actually lunging across a desk in an effort to get to the school official. He now faces a charge of attempted assault as well. Here he is now, being escorted into a cell at the Domino City Jail."

"Oh my God, it's Dad!" The group jumped slightly at Jou's proclamation. Slowly Norris began to move closer to the screen, his eyes narrowed intently. Meanwhile Otogi turned a confused gaze toward the blonde.

"Kenneth's your-"

"No, baka! Not there, there! In the cell that they're shovin' Kenneth into!" Yugi gasped.

"Jou, are you sure?" Norris backed away, a satisfied smile on his face.

"No doubt about it; it's Michael alright." The last thing the camera showed before fading away was a picture of the two men glaring at each other from across the cell. "And it looks like they're going to get along just fine." He clapped his hands loudly and rubbed them together gleefully. "I just love it when the justice system works. Yugi, pick up the phone and call in some carry-out; my treat. I suddenly feel like celebrating."

*****

"Stupid, damn, why do they hafta-" Seto bit back a laugh as he listened to the frustrated sounds coming from the other side of the closed door. After taking Jou to his old apartment to collect his things, Norris had taken him shopping. Contrary to his nephew's belief, however, a futon wasn't the only thing they were after. Somehow between the furniture shop and his boyfriend's house, a very disgruntled Jounouchi had found himself at a tailor's, scowling down at a man whose hand had ended up far too close to his package for comfort as he asked the previously unheard of question: "Do you dress to the right or the left?" And it hadn't helped matters any that Norris had laughed his ass off as the man had tried to explain, his hand nudging Jou's balls the entire time as he’d struggled to get "an accurate measurement." Needless to say, the blonde's mood had been anything but cheery by the time he got to the mansion, and having Seto ask to see him in the suit did nothing to improve his demeanor. Said brunette chuckled again as a muffled screech reached his ears.

"Uh, do you need some help in there, Pup?"

"NO! No, I've got it. I just need to- DAMN IT! Okay. There. Ready or not here I come." Seto stepped away from the slowly opening door and found himself speechless. Despite the noises indicating otherwise, Jou was dressed flawlessly in a tux that was tailored almost too well. Everything from the stylish cut-away black jacket to the black pants that hugged his narrow waist and legs to the deep green color of the vest and tie looked as if it had been made specifically for the blonde himself. Jou blushed as he noticed Seto staring at him unabashedly. "Did-did I get it right?" he asked timidly, bringing a hand up to the tie. "I couldn't get the tie right and then the cuff thingies; one of 'em rolled under the sink and-" he was stopped as a gentle finger tipped up his chin. He scanned Seto's face with anxious eyes, looking for a sign of disapproval. Instead the brunette kissed him softly before stepping away to admire him again.

"You're perfect, Jou. Absolutely perfect." Jou sighed in relief, but the anxious look remained. "What's wrong, Pup?" Seto asked softly, drawing him into his arms.

"I guess I'm just nervous; that's all." He sighed again as Seto tightened his arms and began to rock him ever so slightly. "I mean, all those people, and the bruises, and I'm not exactly the most 'polished' guy in the world. Hell; I don't even know how to dance." Seto chuckled lightly into the soft gold hair before pulling back slightly.

"You worry too much, Puppy," he half teased. "I already told you how I feel about "all those people" and their "polished" ways." A gentle hand came up to caress the healing cheek. "And your bruises are just about gone." He pulled Jou back to him and dropped his head back down on the other's. "And as for dancing; you were doing just fine with me just a minute ago." Jou could feel Seto pout into his hair before he pulled away again. "Was there someone else you were hoping to dance with, Pup?" The light in those blue eyes caused Jou's breath to hitch.

"N...no."

"Good." Seto replied before claiming his mouth in a passionate kiss. Jou gasped at the intensity of it and Seto took advantage, thoroughly ravaging his mouth before releasing him. "Did you know," he whispered hotly into the blonde's ear, delighting in the shiver that he got as a response, "That you have to take as much care in removing a tux as you do in putting one on?" Seto nipped at Jou's ear before whispering again. "Did they tell you that, Pup?" A tongue replaced the teeth, circling and laving and flicking.

"N- no." Jou half whimpered, grasping Seto's shoulders for support even as he tilted his head back for more.

"Allow me to demonstrate." The whisper was in his other ear now as hands slid up his chest to the tie. Within seconds the strap of material was gone, followed by the jacket, vest, and cufflinks. Despite the urge to leave them where they lay, Seto placed each one carefully aside, both to keep Jou from worrying and to add to his anticipation. "Next comes the shirt," he mumbled into the soft skin of Jou's neck as he undid the top button. Hands and mouth dropped lower as each tiny fastener was undone until Jou's skin was so heated that he didn't miss the shirt as it was carefully pulled from his body and laid with the rest of his clothing. "And finally," he whispered, pulling Jou to him to drop the last words onto his lips, "The pants."

Jou whimpered as Seto again claimed his mouth as his hand slowly stroked up the blonde's straining erection to undo the clasp. Just as slowly he brought the zipper down, the back of his fingers caressing Jou through his boxers. "Take off your shoes, Puppy," Seto ordered huskily as his hands stayed at his waist. "We don't want your pants to get wrinkled." Jou shot him a frustrated look through his glazed amber eyes but did as he was told. Only then did Seto allow the material to fall to the ground. Carefully Jou stepped out of them, his eyes following the taller teen's every move as he bent to pick them up and put them away. As soon as Seto turned back Jou was there, eagerly pushing his nearly naked body against the other’s. It was Seto's turn to moan as Jou hungrily forced his mouth open, completely dominating the kiss as he ground himself against the brunette, who eagerly thrust in return. With a light growl, Jou tore his mouth away.

"Lesson's over," he teased as he began to un-tuck Seto's shirt. "Let's see how quick of a learner I am." Seto closed his eyes as one of Jou's hands lifted his shirt, only to snap them open again as he felt the other undo his pants. Jou chuckled at his stunned expression. "I couldn't remember which came first so I decided to take care of both at once." Seto shook his head and stepped out of his pants while Jou finished removing his shirt.

"What am I going to do with you Pup?" he sighed as he looked at his discarded clothes.

"Hnn." Jou smirked as he grabbed the brunette and pulled him close. "I'm sure you'll think of something." Once again Jou's mouth was hot on his as he ground up against him. Lips, teeth, and tongues clashed for dominance as their bodies rocked together, building the friction to an unbearable level. Suddenly Seto noticed Jou's hands on his waist, stilling his movements.

"What is it Puppy?" he murmured thickly as he worked his mouth to Jou's ear. Jou whimpered as those teeth lay claim to his lobe again.

"Seto please, I need you to-" Unable to vocalize his desire, he grabbed hold of the hand stroking his back and slid it down over his ass, pressing back against it as he did so. Seto groaned at the blonde's wonton action; instantly said hand was inside Jou's boxers, elegant fingers stroking his crease in a tantalizing way. Jou whimpered again and parted his legs, encouraging his love to go deeper.

"Oh god, Jou." Seto panted, trying to keep his composure. "I want to, I so want to, but I don't have any-" He groaned again as Jou brought his free hand to his mouth; the sight of his first two fingers sliding in and out between the blonde's lips nearly caused him to come right then. He watched breathlessly as Jou continued to lave his fingers, all the while pleading with his eyes. Slowly Jou brought the fingers out one last time before uttering the one word that was Seto's undoing.

"Please!" Half moaning half growling, Seto pushed the blonde away and to the wall, repeating the noise as he watched him move his lower body out and spread his legs wide. Instantly Seto was there, his mouth finding purchase on Jou's shoulder as he worked his moistened fingers inside. Jou moaned loudly and almost instantly started thrusting back, forcing the digits even deeper inside. "Please, Seto," he begged, keening as his prostate was hit, "Fuck me, please!" Suddenly the fingers were gone and Seto's body was pressed between Jou's trembling thighs. Pressing his throbbing head against Jou's entrance, the brunette snapped his hips, completely embedding himself with a pleasured cry matched by that of his lover.

Their lovemaking was quick and fierce, intensified both by the teasing beforehand and the years of pent up emotions prior to that. Seto pounded hungrily into Jou's greedy body, the blonde giving back what was given as he thrust and clenched against the brunette. Feeling his stomach tighten, he guided Seto's hand to his cock, hissing in pleasure as the talented fingers began to stroke. The stroking intensified as Seto thrust deep, crying out as Jou's passage began to spasm, signaling his release. He continued pumping the blonde as the hot seed covered his hand; Seto's head lolled back and his body jerked rapidly against Jou's, lost in the heights of his own orgasm. The sudden weight of Jou's body sagging against his brought him back down to earth. Being careful to support the blonde, he slowly lowered them both to the floor and gently withdrew himself before rolling Jou over and pulling him to his chest. Mumbling incoherently, Jou nuzzled into him, his body still trembling slightly.

"You alright, Puppy?" Seto asked softly, stroking the damp, golden locks.

"Hmm." Jou sighed contently, smiling into his chest. "That was amazing." Seto made a noise of agreement as he pulled away to look down at the blonde.

"You are amazing Jounouchi Katsuya." He stared into Jou's amber eyes, the faintest hint of uncertainty shadowing his own icy blues. "I love you," he whispered, feeling the fear tighten around his exposed heart like a vice- a vice that was removed by a single caress and the heartfelt words of his lover.

"I love you too, Seto. I love you too."

*****

Norris looked up from the report he was reviewing as he heard the sound of Jou's key in the lock. He smirked as his nephew entered the room; a suit bag on his arm and a smile on his face. "Have a good time ,Jou?" Jou busied himself by hanging his tux in the closet, the faintest hint of a blush coloring his cheeks.

"Yup," he said brightly, not offering any more than that.

"Did Kaiba like what he saw?" His smirk widened as he saw Jou's spine stiffen in surprise. "Well? Did he like the tux?" Norris choked back a laugh as Jou visibly relaxed.

"Yeah. He said we did a good job." Jou's uncle waited until he had almost left the room before asking the next question.

"Did he prep you?" This time Jou spun around, his mouth gaped open in shock. "What?" Norris asked innocently. "I just wanted to be sure he prepped you for the dance tomorrow night." He maintained the innocent look for about 5 seconds before losing it completely; his shouts of laughter echoing around the small apartment.

"Ya know Nor’," Jou grumbled, his face now a brilliant red, "For someone who's supposed to be the "adult" in my life, ya sure are immature."

"Sor...sorry Jou," he gasped, straightening himself up and clearing his throat. "You're absolutely right."

"Eh, it's no big deal," he said, flashing his uncle a grin. "I'm gonna head to bed." Jou's departure was followed by hazel eyes shining with mischief. Norris just couldn't resist.

"A hot bath'll take care of that limp!"

"It ain't funny, Nor’!"

*****

The clock in the lobby of the KaibaCorp building struck 9:30 as Jou and Norris took their places in the line of people waiting to be introduced. The gala had started at nine, but due to another cufflink incident- this one requiring the more daunting task of Norris' refrigerator being pulled out- the two had arrived slightly late, albeit impeccably dressed. The closer Jou got to the doors of the boardroom-turned-ballroom, the more nervous he got. By the time he was next in line he was light-headed- until Norris nudged him and reminded him to breathe. Jou took a deep breath and smiled at his uncle, instantly feeling better.

Suddenly there was no one in front of him and the Master of Ceremonies was holding his hand out expectantly. Smiling nervously, Jou handed the man his card. The light chatter that filled the room died instantly as the man at the door boomed out: "Jounouchi Katsuya!" Jou looked around wildly as the weight of two-hundred stares settled on him. Through his fog, he felt a hand settle on his arm, and he almost jerked away- almost.

"It's okay, Pup. I'm here." The familiar voice washed over him, calming his nerves and clearing his vision. Jou smiled gratefully at his lover and allowed him to lead him into the room full of people, ignoring as best he could the stares, whispers, and camera flashes. Despite the fact that he wanted nothing more than to hide at the table reserved for them in the corner, Jou knew that he couldn't just yet. According to Seto there were only two dances that the CEO had to participate in, the first being the opening one. As the couple stepped into the area reserved for the dance floor, the lights dimmed and the music began. After a few moments, other couples began to join.

Jou was concentrating so hard on not bumping into anyone and not stepping on Seto's feet that he didn't even hear the band until the brunette started singing into his ear: "Don't go changing to try and please me; you never let me down before..." Jou pulled back and offered Seto a sweet smile before resting his head against his chest. He could feel the rumble of his lover's words as he continued to sing. "I took the good times; I'll take the bad times; I'll take you just the way you are."

Suddenly nothing else mattered: the cameras, the comments- nothing mattered to Jou except the one holding him and the words that he whispered as if Billy Joel had written them expressly for them.

"I said I love you, and that's forever; and this I promise from the heart; I could not love you any better; I love you just the way you are." As the music faded and Seto pulled back to escort Jou to their table, the blonde offered him another smile.

"I've always loved that song," he stated softly. "Billy Joel is one of my favorites."

"I know." Seto smirked. "That's what Norris said when I asked him." His smirk widened at Jou's surprised look. "Being CEO does have its advantages you know; pumping employees for information is one of them." Jou opened his mouth with a scathing reply but bit it back as the two were surrounded by a group of men, Norris amongst them.

"Kaiba-sama," the assistant adviser to the primary officer of the financial committee greeted the CEO, bowing politely and completely ignoring the blonde at his side. Norris fixed that with a sharp nudge of his elbow. Seto smirked as the adviser looked at the other man in surprise before allowing Jou a slight nod. "Jounouchi-San." As soon as Jou acknowledged the nod with one of his own, the man turned back to Seto. "Kursuto-sama of WebCom has just arrived and would like to speak to you." Seto sighed and nodded before turning to Jou. As much as he would rather spend his time in the company of his lover, it was, after all, a corporate function. He offered the blonde an apologetic glance before following the committee members to the front of the room.

Jou had just made his way to the table when Norris turned back. The older man rolled his eyes and offered his nephew a wink before joining the rest of the group. Jou chuckled as he took his seat, content to be out of the spotlight at least for a while. He entertained himself in the fine art of people watching until a familiar voice spoke from the podium a half-hour later. Jou watched with pride as the handsome brunette- check that- _his_ handsome brunette addressed the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen: I know that it is not customary to conduct business at an event such as this. However, we have an honored guest with us tonight who wishes to make an announcement. May I present to you Seiji Kursuto of WebCom." Seto stepped aside, allowing a tall, elderly gentleman take his place.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I promise to keep this brief. As most of you know, I am retiring, pending my decision as to which company I would be merging WebCom with. Again as most of you know, my choices had been narrowed down to KaibaCorp and an American based company. Until a couple of days ago my mind had remained undecided. That is no longer the case. I am pleased to announce that, effective January fifth, WebCom will officially become part of the KaibaCorp family." The man smiled and nodded as the room burst out in applause. After a moment, Seto took the podium again.

"We are extremely honored by your choice Kursuto-san," Seto said deferentially. "And I promise that we will treat your corporation and employees with the utmost care and respect. Kawai-san, would you approach the podium please?" Seto smirked to himself as he noticed the identical puzzled looks on Jou's and Norris' faces. He turned slightly toward Norris as he stopped beside the podium. "It is my pleasure to present you with the new Vice President in charge of the WebCom project: Norris Kawai." Again the room applauded and Jou had to refrain from jumping up and whistling through his fingers. Instead he remained seated, watching as Seto and Norris worked their way through the crowd. Finally, after half the room had stopped the men and offered their congratulations, they joined the blonde at the table.

"Congrats, Nor’!" Jou offered excitedly, gripping his uncle's hand tightly in place of the hug he would have usually given him. "Mom's gonna-"

"Hold that thought for a minute, Jou." He released his hand from Jou's grasp and turned a determined glance to the CEO. "I'm not sure that I'm accepting the position quite yet. Not until I'm sure that I'm getting it based on my own merit and not on recent events." Seto chuckled in amusement at the familiar, stubborn look.

"You two are really quite a pair," he said, taking Jou's hand in his. "I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. But I didn't," he added, turning a frank gaze to meet Norris' determined one. "You are a hard worker, Norris and excellent at what you do. You are loyal but you're not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. You demonstrated that the night of the board meeting. And the kindness and support you offered me the day of your presentation convinced me that you were the man for the job should Kursuto decide to merge with us. Why do you think I pressed you so hard to think about your choices that night that you called me out to your apartment?" He smirked as he saw the man's determination waver. "If my word isn't good enough I'll be glad to show you the preliminary change of status papers when the office re-opens for goyohajime." He then turned his back on his new vice president to address his lover. "Honestly, Pup; have you ever seen a man as stubborn as that baka uncle of yours?" he said loud enough for Norris to hear.

"Sure have," Jou teased back. "Every time I look in the mirror, and every time I look at you. Now come on," he said, standing and pulling Seto up with him. "The MC just announced the last dance and I believe your presence is required."

Slowly the dance floor filled as people paired up for the last dance and the midnight kiss. As Seto twirled him slowly around, Jou took in the sight of the other couples, raising his eyebrow and grinning as he saw Norris with Nyoko. His uncle grinned and winked in return before returning his attention to his partner. After a few moments the music faded and the couples slowed. As the clock began its countdown, adding its chimes to those of the joyano-kane sounding outside, Jou took a quick assessment of his surroundings. Noticing that he and Seto had stopped in front of the Financial Committee members, the men who had accused his lover of being cold, who- unsurprisingly- had not ended up with New Years partners, Jou got a wicked grin on his face. As the twelfth chime sounded on the clock inside, he pressed himself tight against his lover, meeting Seto's chaste kiss with an open mouth and determined tongue. Forcing his lover's mouth open, Jou kissed him long and hard as he ran one hand up and down Seto's back and the other through his silky hair. After a shocked moment, Seto responded, lapping and sucking on Jou's proffered tongue until the two were forced to part for air. Jou grinned as the group of men gaped at the CEO who, thanks to Jou's ministrations, looked totally debauched and anything but cold. "Come on, Seto," he said, leading the slightly dazed brunette off of the dance floor and toward the door. "Let's go home." Norris watched the couple exit before turning back to the lady on his arm.

"Why do I get the feeling that I bought that futon for nothing?" he asked, eliciting a smile from Nyoko as they made their way to the bar.

"I've never seen Kaiba-sama happier," she stated softly, taking the drink that Norris offered.

"Nor I Jou," he admitted with a smile. Gently he clinked his glass to hers. "Here's to a love-filled year for them both." He grinned cheekily before placing a chaste kiss on Noyko's cheek. "With maybe some left for us. Happy New Year, Noyko." He was pleasantly surprised when the auburn-haired woman leaned in with a kiss of her own before responding in kind.

"Happy New Year."


End file.
